Committee Reports > List of Committees > Dáil > 1990 > Committee of Public Accounts > Final Report - Appropriation Accounts 1988

APPENDIX 17

3 May, 1990.

Mr. Eoin Faherty,

Assistant Clerk,

Committee of Public Accounts.

Dear Eoin,

You will recall that, at the meeting of 11 April, the Committee requested me to convey to the Department of the Environment their concern that, where possible, those engaged for temporary duties in connection with elections should be long-term unemployed.

I now attach:

(i) draft letter which, if the Chairman agrees, could issue to the Department of the Environment;

(ii) background note on current procedures, and

(iii) circular issued by this Department (Public Expenditure Division) in June 1989 (par 5 is of particular relevance).

Yours sincerely,

J. O’FARRELL,

Department of Finance,

Dublin 2.

Secretary,

Department of the Environment.

At a recent meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts (discussing the Central Statistics Office) the question of engaging the long-term unemployed for field surveys was discussed. Arising from this the Committee expressed the concern that, compatible with the relevant Equality Legislation, and cost efficiency, temporary staff appointed for duties relating to elections should, if possible, be recruited from the long-term unemployed. In view of the forthcoming Presidential election later this year, the Committee requested that I convey this concern to the relevant Department (i.e. the Department of the Environment in this instance) for their attention.

J. O’FARRELL,

Department of Finance,

Dublin 2.

Background note on the engagement of temporary staff for election duties.

The conduct of all national and local elections is primarily a matter for the Department of the Environment, but it is understood that Returning Officers (ROs) are instructed to engage unemployed people in so far as this is practical. In the last Election a general exhortation was made to ROs to engage unemployed people “where … consistent with efficiency”, (please see the first page of the attached circular.) In practice however the ROs operate their discretion as to who to employ to ensure that the Election runs smoothly and efficiently. An essential prerequisite is that those engaged can be guaranteed to turn up on the day and for that reason experienced people are favoured. The ROs find generally that it is not practical to select people en bloc from Manpower lists as many never reply or fail to show up when needed.

6 June, 1989.

To each Returning Officer/Local Returning Officer.

A Chara,

European Parliament Elections and General Elections to Dáil Éireann—Returning Officers’ and Local Returning Officers’ Charges and Accounts—June, 1989.

1. I am directed by the Minister for Finance to forward herewith two copies of the European Parliament and General Elections to Dáil Éireann Charges Order 1989, which prescribes the fees and disbursements of returning officers and local returning officers in the June 1989 European Parliament Elections and General Election. References below to “returning officer” include the returning officer for the European Parliament Election and the returning officer for the General Election.

2. Your particular attention is drawn to the following:

(i)Paragraph 20 of the Schedule covers all expenses of the returning officer and local returning officer not otherwise authorised by the scale. A strict interpretation will be insisted upon in this regard and separate charges will not be admitted for such items as supervising the conveyance of polling screens, ballot boxes, ballot papers etc., to or from polling stations;

(ii)In relation to travelling and subsistence expenses, the Order provides for returning officers and local returning officers to be paid the same rates, subject to the same conditions, as apply to County Registrars. Copies of the relevant up-to-date circulars are attached;

(iii)As regards travel and subsistence of other persons employed by the local returning officer, the Order provides for a flat mileage rate of 40p a mile where a private car must be used and for subsistence allowances at the rates set down at paragraphs 21 (c), (d) and (e) of the Schedule, as appropriate:

(iv)Members of the Garda Síochána involved on election duties should be advised to submit any claims for travel and subsistence through their superior officers to the Department of Justice for processing and payment;

(v)The general conditions laid down by the Minister for Finance in relation to economy in travel should be applied to all travelling and subsistence. It is the responsibility of returning officers and local returning officers to ensure that this is done, and to disallow claims for travelling and subsistence which do not comply with these conditions. In this regard, in particular:

—duties should be planned so as to reduce the total amount of travel to the minimum consistent with efficiency;

—all official travel should be by the shortest practicable route and by the cheapest practicable mode of conveyance;

—public transport should be used wherever possible;

—officials should travel together wherever practicable, in particular, a Garda accompanying a special presiding officer should travel in the same vehicle.

(vi)In relation to expenditure under paragraph 21 (f) of the Schedule, the distribution and collection of ballot boxes, polling screens, etc. should be so planned as to minimise transport hiring costs;

(vii)Schools, courthouses, and other buildings provided or assisted out of voted monies or local rates should be utilised as far as possible. Payment for cleaning, fuel or light, should be made only where a claim has been received and duly checked by the returning officer. Where a private building must be hired, the most economical arrangement possible should be made;

(viii)In the event of a re-count arising, returning officers should contact this Department for advice as to the procedure for making a claim.

Special Bank Accounts and Exchequer Advances

3. (i) For each constituency, the returning officer/local returning officer should open a special bank account in respect of expenses incurred by him for the purposes of or in connection with a European Parliament Election or General Election under the title:

“Returning Officer/Local Returning Officer for the Constituency of..

—European Parliament and General Elections, June 1989”.

Under no circumstances should this account be overdrawn

(ii)A second bank account, which must be interest-bearing, should be opened for candidates’ deposits under the title: “Returning Officer/Local Returning Officer for the Constituency of…

—European Parliament/General Elections, June 1989 — Deposits”.

(iii)Receipt of this circular letter must be acknowledged on the acknowledgement attached with an indication of the name of the bank and branch at which you opened the account, or accounts where appropriate, in accordance with paragraph 3 (i) and 3 (ii) above, so that they may be determined to be a public account(s) under section 18 of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Act, 1866;

(iv)When the directions at 3 (i) and 3 (ii) above in relation to the opening of bank accounts have been complied with, returning officers and local returning officers may apply for an initial advance under Section 25 (3) of the Electoral Act, 1923. The amount of the initial advance should be limited to the minimum required to meet expenditure up to the date of the poll. Any application for a further advance should be supported by an estimate of the amount required under the several heads of expenditure.

Furnishing of Accounts to Department of Finance.

4. (i) The returning officer/local returning officer should himself sign and send all accounts (including accounts of expenditure by any deputy returning officer/deputy local returning officer duly appointed) to the Accountant, Department of Finance, Accounts Branch, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

(ii)Copies of forms A1, A2, B, C and D to be used in furnishing accounts are attached. Further copies of forms C and D will be sent to you on request to this Department.

(iii)It will facilitate examination of the accounts if all items relating to a particular polling station are shown together on form D. This form should be used for all expenses incurred under the heads shown in columns (7), (8), (9), (10) and (11) except where the expenses were incurred under a general scheme for distributing or collecting ballot boxes or polling screens, in which case they should be shown on Form C. Payments (if any) for supervising the distribution and/or collection of ballot boxes or polling screens — as distinct from the cost of transport — should be shown along with other charges under ‘clerical, legal and other assistance’ on form C.

General

5. The Minister for Finance would urge that, wherever possible and consistent with efficiency, unemployed people should be engaged for duties in connection with the elections. The local National Manpower Office should be able to assist in this.

6. Where full-time Court staff are employed they should be paid only for periods not covered by their ordinary official pay. Where such persons are paid fees as presiding officers or poll clerks or as count staff a corresponding number of days should be deducted from their annual leave.

7. Any queries arising from the Charges Order or from this circular letter should be raised with this Department [(01) 767571 Ext. 2413].

Mise le meas,

ANTHONY JORDAN,

Department of Finance.

18 May, 1990.

Secretary,

Department of Finance,

36-42 Kildare Street,

Dublin 2.

Ref. F. 216/27

Attention Mr. J. O’Farrell

I refer to your minute of the 8th May, 1990 expressing the concern of the Committee of Public Accounts on the employment of unemployed persons at the forthcoming Presidential election. The views expressed in your minute on this question have been noted.

JOHN KEENAN,

Franchise Section,

Department of the Environment.