Charlie McCreevy (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

With regard to the election management software an independent Irish software firm, Nathean Technologies, has undertaken a comprehensive architectural code review of the election software. It has concluded that the code does not contain elements which can corrupt the correct running of the software. As a further precaution, all the computers to be used in the election will be stand-alone machines and, therefore, will not be accessible by the Internet or networks.

The computers will be "hardened" to remove or deactivate any software that is superfluous to the running of the election and will only be accessed and activated by use of a security smart card, held by the returning officer, and an individual PIN number. In addition, the Electoral Reform Services in the UK has tested the PR single transferable vote count rules against its database of more than 400 STV elections to ensure that the rules have been precisely applied.

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