Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

Each independent machine is not linked to the national network so each module will be brought back to the count centre in order that the results can be fed in there. This country has pioneered such technology, which I welcome. I look forward to making further progress in this respect in future. I compliment the Minister and his officials for the way in which they have set out and explained the relevant information. I have read the report of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, at which the proposal for electronic voting was explained in great detail.

Perhaps the Minister of State can explain when and where postal votes will be put into the electronic system? Will they have to be brought to the particular area in which they were cast in order to be inserted in the local module, or will that be done at the count centre? I appreciate that the Minister of State will deal with our questions in his reply.