Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

When will the Government move to end, and cut its losses on, this issue? Nothing the Taoiseach has done symbolises more the waste and incompetence associated with his decision making than this issue. Did anybody ever go into one of the Taoiseach's clinics over the past ten years and ask for electronic voting? What is the point in comparisons with other democracies with first-past-the-post systems? This system was examined by experts and found wanting. That is the position and there is no point saying that if only X and Y had happened, we could have proceeded with it. What will the Taoiseach do about it now? Is there any prospect of selling the machines to anyone? Will we pay a ransom to people for leases to store machines that are worthless?

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