John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

An official report has recently been published in the Netherlands about the Nedap electronic voting system which is in operation there. An official English translation of the report is not yet available. The House will appreciate that I do not propose to comment until I have received the report and had an opportunity to consider it. I understand the committee which prepared the report was established after last year's Dutch elections and that the Dutch Parliament will discuss the report in early December. I am aware of reports of a recent court judgment in the Netherlands to the effect that electronic voting machines should not be used in a mayoral election in Utrecht. I understand this decision was made on the basis of non-compliance with the legal certification procedures governing the use of the system in the Netherlands. The case was initiated before the committee's report was published and the events are unrelated. The House will recall that the final report of the Commission on Electronic Voting last year concluded that the voting equipment chosen for use in Ireland could be used subject to further work which was also recommended, such as the replacement of the election management software, the adaptation of the equipment and the undertaking of further end-to-end testing. As I have indicated to the House, I am considering the next steps to be taken in the electronic voting and counting project. I will take into account the commission's report, any relevant findings from the Netherlands, the need to maintain public confidence in the electoral process and the provisions in the programme for Government relating to electoral reform generally.

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