Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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72. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the name of all members appointed to the 2013 election observation roster; the date that each was appointed or reappointed in the case of members that were on the pre-2013 roster; the date that members resigned or were removed; the number of missions completed by each member since 2013; the reason some members have been on numerous missions while others have never been on a single mission; his plans to ensure an even distribution of observation opportunities on the 2018 roster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36789/18]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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73. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of election observers that have withdrawn from missions prior to departure in each of the past five years; the cost involved in each year including unused airline tickets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36790/18]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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74. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number of election observers that have returned prematurely from missions in each of the past five years; if they had to refund expenses paid; if not, if they were written off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36791/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 to 74, inclusive, together.

I refer the Deputy to the responses to previous parliamentary questions on these matters, including Question 109 of 24 July 2018, Questions 167, 166 and 172 of 25 October 2017 and Question 397 of 26 July 2017.

For each election observation mission, the EU or OSCE set out their specific requirements and as per normal practice all roster members are invited to apply to participate in any mission which Ireland proposes to deploy observers with a view to ensuring the widest possible participation in missions by roster members.

In many cases, the EU and OSCE also invite Member States to nominate new observers or observers with limited experience. In selecting nominees to be put forward, the specific criteria set by the EU or OSCE, including relevant local and regional experience, language proficiency, gender and length of time since serving on a mission, provide the main basis for decision-making. In cases where observers participated in a higher number of missions, this can be due to specific language requirements, the overall number of applications received, or other specific requirements which the EU or OSCE may identify from time to time depending on the specific circumstances of the election observation mission.

As previously communicated, a system to record data on withdrawals was put in place in 2015. Since then, 21 individuals have withdrawn from 22 missions, including one roster member who withdrew on two occasions, at a total cost to the Department of €1,268.82. In all but one case funds advanced by the Department were fully repaid.

In one case repayment was not sought, as the pre-departure grant of €600 had been paid to a nominated observer who had already advanced their preparations for an upcoming EU observation mission. At a late stage, this observer was appointed by the EU to a different function. Given the extreme lateness of the change – within a day or two of their anticipated departure on mission – pre-departure expenditure (such as vaccinations) had already been incurred. Under the circumstances the Department did not seek the repayment of the grant. In any case, the observer was selected by the EU for a separate mission within twelve months, and on that occasion was not paid the pre-departure grant.

Officials in my Department advise that early return from Election Observation Mission occur rarely, as Observers have committed to being available for the duration of the deployment. From the records available, only one Observer has returned early and this was due to the OSCE Election Observation Mission being cancelled and thus out of the control of the individual concerned. The Observer refunded the outstanding expenses paid in advance of their departure.

Taking account of members who have left the roster, and those who have been added from the reserve panel, the current roster complement stands at 191 and the reserve panel has been fully utilised. The Department does not hold records regarding previous roster memberships. For privacy reasons, the Department does not disclose the date that members resigned or were removed from the roster, as these may relate to illness or bereavement among other reasons.

Names of the Election Observation Roster appointed in 2013:

Dermot Ahern

Suhail Ahmad

Les Allamby

Chris Andrews

Frances Ball

Peter Ballagh

Tania Banotti

Patricia Barker

Richard Barrett

Leila Blacking

Donal Blake

Mary Boland

Michael Boyle

Adrienne Boyle

Noel Brennan

Caroline Brennan

Damien Brennan

Fionnuala Brennan

Paul Brennan

Andrea Breslin

Gabrielle Brocklesby

Catherine Brophy

Gerard Buckley

William Bulman

Colm Burke

John Burke

Eric Byrne

Elaine Byrne

Barry Cannon

Philippe Carr

Pat Carroll

Anne Choiseul

Michael Cleary

John Paul Coakley

Dermot Cogan

Pauline Conway

Sandra Conway

Ciara Conway

Peter Cotter

John Cousins

Michael Coyne

Evanna Craig

Kevin Cronin

Marie Cross

Mary Cummins

Diarmuid Cunniffe

John Curran

Asa (Karl) Cusack

Kieran Dalton

Bernard Daly

Eamonn Daly

Thomas Daly

David Denny

Anne Donnellan

Patricia Donnelly

Peter Donovan

James Doody

Mary Dowling

Terence Duffy

Mary Dunne

Patrick Durcan

John Durnin

Thomas Faolán Earlie

Peter Emerson

Brian Fagan

Colm Fahy

Gerard Finnegan

Annetta Flanigan

Terence Fleming

Marja Foley

Michael Gannon

Frederick Gilligan

Fergus Gleeson

Brendan Gogarty

Michael Good

Niall Gormley

Patrick Grant

Deirdre Grogan

Kevin Grogan

Munyikwa Hamadziripi

Dominic Hannigan

Nuala Haughey

Anne Harris Hennon

Frank Heslin

Sarah-Jane Hillery

Edward Horgan

Maca Hourihane

Michael Humphreys

Richard Humphreys

Jas Kaminski

Michael Kavanagh

Patricia Kearns

Cecilia Keaveney

Cathal Kelly

Patricia Kelly

Thomas John Kelly

Frank Kennefick

Helen Keogh

Maria Kiernan

Emily King

Ciaran Kinsella

Tom Kitt

Dorcha Lee

Jimmy Lenehan

Mark Long

John Lynch

Grattan Lynch

John Lyons

Ruadhán MacAodháin

Eithne MacDermott

Fidelma MacHale

Jean Celeste Mackenzie

Brian MacMahon

Desmond MacMahon

Patrick Maher

Elaine Mahon

Joseph Mangan

Anne Marlborough

Seamus Martin

Raymond Maxwell

Bernard McCabe

Ellen McCabe

James McCarthy

Michael McCarthy

Vincent McCorley

Fergal McCusker

Robert McDaid

Ronan McDermott

Donal McDonald

Finola McDowell

Padraic McDunphy

Richard McEvoy

Amy Rose McGovern

Jean McGrath

Una McGurk

Peter McMahon

Gerard McNamara

Michael McNamara

Peter Miles

John Minihan

Olivia Mitchell

Andrew Montague

John Martin Moore

Alison Moore

Rebecca Moynihan

Siobhan Mullally

Elizabeth Mullan

John Mulvihill

Karen Murphy

Nicholas Murphy

Ray Murphy

Edward Naessens

William Nolan

Robert Norris

Fiachra O' Luain

Seosamh O Murchu

Jerry O'Brien

Ronán O'Brien

Sean O'Callaghan

Eimear O'Casey

Charlie O'Connor

Shane O'Connor

Annette O'Gorman

Almha O'Keeffe

Anne Ormonde

Aidan O'Shea

Barbara O'Shea

Mary O'Shea

Paul O'Shea

Finbar O'Sullivan

Nora Owen

Diarmuid Peavoy

John Paul Phelan

Ann Phelan

Geraldine Power

John Purcell

Pat Quinlan

Theresa Reidy

Andrew Richardson

Marion Roche

Bill Rolston

Paul Rowe

Mary Russell

Audrey Ryan

Robert Sampson

Joseph Scanlon

Gisela Claire Schmidt-Martin

Frank Scott

Colin Smith

Jimmy Somers

Victoria Somers

Traolach Sweeney

Paul Tighe

Michael Verling

Brendan Walsh

Eamonn Thomas Walsh

Jacinta Walsh

Sheena Walsh McMahon

Emma Warwick

Steve Wrenn

Members of the Election Observation Roster appointed (from the reserve panel) after May 2013 to fill vacancies that arose:

Paddy Donnelly

Camilla Fanning

Denis Kirby

Niall O'Cinnseala

Larry O'Loughlin

Joy Orpen Kanter

Geraldine O'Neill

The number of missions undertaken by Observers since the formation of the Election Observation roster in 2013:Names marked with an asterix are officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who work on relevant geographic desks or as election Focal Points, and on occasion also participate in such missions.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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75. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there has been contact with the Revenue Commissioners regarding the operation of the 2013 election observation roster; if this resulted in changes, undertakings or settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36792/18]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to the responses to previous parliamentary questions on this matter, Question 395 of 26 July 2017, Question 318 of 09 May 2017, Question 653 of 02 May 2017.

International election monitoring missions play an important role in the promotion of democracy and human rights. We aim to ensure that, when requested, Ireland is represented at an appropriate level on international observation missions for elections and constitutional referendums. Irish observers participate primarily in missions organised by the European Union or the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Members of the Election Roster who are nominated as long or short term observers by the Department do not receive remuneration. They are paid a daily allowance, as determined by the EU and the OSCE, to cover the cost of food, accommodation and other out-of-pocket expenses, along with a pre-departure grant of €600. Officials of the Department were in contact with the Revenue Commissioners in relation to any possible need for Tax Clearance Certificates. Volunteers on the roster are required to provide a tax clearance certificate in respect of any payments in excess of €10,000 per annum and as set out in the Volunteer Information booklet this will continue to be a requirement for members of the new roster which will be established in early 2019.