Mr. Noel Whelan:

Many systems have been very quick to adopt technology. The US is the most obvious one and it has different electoral processes in each of the states. In England, one in every ten voters in the recent election voted by post. However, they have paid a price in compromising the perception of integrity in their electoral system. I am not opposed to online registration, I just do not believe the technology is ready yet. There is some very interesting material in Dr. Maurice Manning's report of the working group on the Seanad about how one might create a system where people could print off a postal ballot paper once they had otherwise registered. That group consulted with some of the cybercrime units and the like. There is potential, but I do not think we are there yet. Whether it is air traffic control or electoral systems, I tend to go on the side of caution before technology on some of those types of systems.