Questions raised over how polling staff are recruited in Offaly

Questions have been raised over the transparency of recruitment practices for polling station staff, with calls for reform at a recent meeting of Offaly County Council.

Speaking during the meeting, Councillor Neil Feighery said he wouldn't be able to tell anyone how polling officers are recruited, despite having been elected twice.

''I think we do need to open it up and be more transparent. We need to look at how we are recruiting people,'' he said. ''You see the same faces and, in some respects, in my own area, you see the same families perhaps continuing the tradition of being polling officers.''

Cllr Feighery said the process should be ''more democratic and transparent,'' and proposed that the council either write to the County Registrar or make a formal submission regarding the appointment of clerks and presiding officers.

''We have a job of work to do here to be far more transparent in how we do our business from a democratic point of view, and I feel very strongly about that,'' he said. ''I think we need to look at that. We need to modernise the system.''

His remarks followed a presentation by Director of Services Ann Dillon and Ann Marie Kelly of Offaly County Council, who outlined recent changes to the electoral registration process introduced under the Electoral Reform Act 2022.

Under the new legislation, individuals must now provide their PPS number, date of birth, and Eircode when registering to vote or updating their details online, a move designed to enhance the accuracy and integrity of the electoral register.

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To support the implementation of these changes, Offaly County Council is hiring two new staff members until the end of 2026. Their role will focus on updating the register, promoting public registration, and encouraging voters to verify and maintain their information.