Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

As we have said many times, the system has been tested internationally, and there is a French contract in place. If the work that has gone on here over the past two months shows that anything is wrong, I will be surprised, but I will accept it. If the engineers, the technicians and the software developers who have been involved for 15 years in designing the system are found in two months to have created a major flaw, I will accept it. If a flaw is found, the commission will be able to state that it has found something which will be noted internationally. At this stage, the commission is merely seeking additional time. I do not accept that Ireland should run away from introducing a modern and far more accurate system and maintain old practices given that it is one of the most modern countries technologically.

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