Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department will consider adding persons with a disability to the roster of persons who act as election observers in other jurisdictions, as has been recommended by an Oireachtas Committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22517/23]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Foreign Affairs maintains and administers a voluntary roster of suitably skilled and vetted individuals who are available to participate at short notice in election observation missions, organised by the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). While the Department nominates observers, the EU or OSCE take the selection decisions.

The current Election Observation Roster was established for a period of five years. It took effect on 1 January 2019 and is scheduled to run until 31 December 2023. The Department is currently accepting expressions of interest for the next election observation roster. Information on this is available on the Department’s website at: Election observation - Department of Foreign Affairs (irishaid.ie)

The Department is committed fully to equality of opportunity in all of its practices, in line with the National Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015. In this spirit, the Department is committed to ensuring that Ireland’s Election Observation Roster provides for the participation of people with disabilities, and is engaging with the EU and OSCE in this regard. The Department will ensure that any requests received for reasonable accommodation at application stage from people with disabilities are given all due consideration.