Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Taoiseach should check the record or ask his people in the communications area to check it. I did not say the software cost €60 million. I said the software was dud software and that it was the cause of the problem. I agree the hardware is recommended as being of sound structure but it is like building a house of blocks and putting in an inferior heating system or having a shell of a car with no engine.

In the minute I have to recover, as the Taoiseach said, let me give him the facts behind the "off the top of the head" remarks from the Opposition. On page 150, the report states "The chosen system does not offer the same levels of transparency in the gathering, translocation, sorting and counting of votes since these processes are carried out by electronic means, largely out of sight." Furthermore, "The potential for an inaccuracy in the counting of votes to go unnoticed is greater under an electronic system than under the paper system." Page 153 of the report mentions trust and states: "However, the voter has no way of verifying that what appears on the display is what actually is recorded electronically on the ballot module within the voting machine." This is what the Taoiseach calls a "top of the head" remark.

With regard to an audit, page 154 states that the system "is not subject to any meaningful independent audit of its voting recording function. Thus the paper system is superior in this regard." Paper is best. On page 167 the report points out "the paper system provides a higher level of secrecy than the chosen system." Who chose the system? It was the Government and it spent almost €60 million on it. Page 206 points out: "There is an increased need, in the context of electronic voting, for the establishment of a single independent statutory electoral commission for Ireland."

These are not "top of the head" remarks from the Opposition. They are quotes from the report which was dragged from the Government through embarrassment and political pressure. The Taoiseach has not said who chose the system nor has he accepted any responsibility for spending €60 million of the public's money on a hardware system and a software system that is now proven to be dud. Nobody doubts the authenticity of the recommendation in the report that the hardware is of sound physical structure. The dud system is the software, an engine that will not work. The Taoiseach intended to foist that on the people despite the fact the counting system could subvert their democratic decision. They will exercise that right in the next 35 weeks and remove the Government from office. Whether or not the Government intends to introduce an electronic voting system, the peann luaidhe will rule Ireland on the next occasion. The Taoiseach and the Government will be removed, not by just 1,000 strokes, but by more than 1 million.

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