John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The total expenditure on the development and roll-out of the electronic voting system to date is some €51.3 million, the bulk of which has been incurred on the purchase of the voting machines and ancillary equipment. In addition, based on figures received in my Department from returning officers, the total annual costs for storage of the electronic voting equipment, including the cost of insurance, service charges, rates and heating for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 were €658,000, €696,000, €706,000 and €489,000, respectively. Provisional data from returning officers indicate that a total of some €139,000 was expended on storage in the first six months of 2008.

In 2007, more than 60% of the electronic voting machines or a total of 4,762 were moved to a central storage facility located at Gormanston Army camp. Costs incurred to date in respect of the movement and storage of this equipment are €328,000. These are largely one-off costs related to the preparation of the facility, transportation of the machines and the acquisition of storage containers. The available capacity at this location has been fully utilised. It was reasonable to make adequate and appropriate provision for the storage of the machines. The Government decision to proceed with the movement of the electronic voting equipment to centralised premises was, therefore, the right approach, taking into account a range of factors, including the costs of the previous and the centralised arrangements and the likely benefits to be realised.

As regards the project itself, I am considering the next steps to be taken in regard to the electronic voting and counting system. I am taking into account the detailed work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, which has examined the system, relevant experiences and developments internationally, the need to maintain public confidence in the electoral process, as well as the provisions in the programme for Government relating to electoral reform generally. Given the scale of investment in the system to date, which I have set out, and the importance of the issues involved for our electoral system, it is essential the future of the project be examined objectively and in a thorough and comprehensive manner. The House will appreciate it is not possible to make more specific comment at this point pending completion of the necessary work and a decision by Government in the matter.

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