John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

The total expenditure on the electronic voting project to date, including on storage, is some €54 million.

Following the Government decision not to proceed with implementation of electronic voting in Ireland, an interdepartmental task force, chaired by my Department, was established to bring the project to an orderly conclusion and to oversee disposal of the equipment and termination of storage arrangements. The task force aims to complete its work as soon as possible.

In disposing of the equipment, the priority is to pursue the most economically advantageous approach, with a view to achieving the maximum recovery of cost possible in the circumstances, consistent with environmental and other obligations.

Issues with regard to the fitness for purpose of the electronic voting equipment were addressed comprehensively in the reports published by the Commission on Electronic Voting. The commission was established in 2004 to report on the secrecy and accuracy of the chosen electronic voting and counting system. It published an interim report in April 2004, followed by its first report later that year in December 2004. The commission's second and final report was published in July 2006.

In dealing with the legacy of electronic voting, my main concerns are to bring the project to a close, dispose of the equipment and deal with lease arrangements for the remaining premises where the equipment is stored. The work of the Department and the task force set up to bring the project to a conclusion has been focused on these areas.

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