Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Senator Bannon, who spoke initially, referred to his experience at the launch last week. I know the Senator did not intend his remarks to be unfair, but they might have been so if the official was only being helpful. Needless to say, at the real poll on 11 June the polling staff will not approach the voting machine. That will be set out in the regulations or the rules for returning officers, which will be in the form of a booklet. Senator Kitt and other Senators referred to the closure of polling stations. There will be no change in the existing arrangements for selecting polling stations, which is of course a matter for the returning officer. The closure of stations is a matter for consultation with members of the local authority. I will make it very clear that the introduction of electronic voting should not be used as an excuse to close some of the smaller stations in rural Ireland.

I would like to refer to the Zerflow security assessment report. Much misunderstanding was created by its presentation on television. I believe this arose from a lack of appreciation of the report's context and contents. The report was commissioned by the Department in February 2002, four months before the use of voting machines, as a risk assessment of the use of voting machines in polling stations. The report did not cover the integrity of the EMS, which was covered in other reports, but the possible physical threats in a polling station. These recommendations were considered by the Department before the use of voting machines in the general election in May 2002 and those considered directly relevant to general elections and referendums were incorporated into the instructions issued to the returning officers. The conditions covered by the major recommendation could only occur in circumstances of a widespread conspiracy between the returning officer's staff, polling station staff and external parties. It would have nothing to do with the machines.

Reference was made to the accuracy of the register of electors. I am most anxious to ensure the register of electors is prepared to the highest standards of accuracy which we, as public representatives, all have a responsibility to ensure. I recognise there can be human error and that omissions can occur. Changes in the Electoral Act 1997 and in the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001 will reduce the extent of errors and omissions. The provision for the preparation and publication of a supplement to the register under the Electoral Act 1992 was extremely important. In the past, if one was not on the register of electors by February, that was it. However, the Electoral Act 1992 provides for a supplement to the register and gives people the opportunity to be added to the list up to a week before the date of the election.

I welcome Senator McCarthy's acknowledgement that electronic voting is a good thing. That is accepted throughout both Houses. All of us support electronic voting, although some may be concerned about the detail or otherwise. Electronic voting is desirable. Some people say we should have long counts but Senator McCarthy's view is that we should do away with them. We have examined the research to which the Senator referred and we are satisfied with the testing regime, the pilot experience, the track record of the system in other countries and the ease with which the electorate has used the system to date. We should remember that we are not starting from a greenfield position. We have had experience of electronic voting in Meath, Dublin West and Dublin North in the general election and in the referendum. We have had no complaints from politicians or otherwise about it. Do we have to look over our shoulder? Naturally, we will look to other countries such as Holland and Germany and at some of the pilots in the UK where Nedap was used and was successful but let us look at our own experience which has been successful. Nedap manufactured the machines, PTB checked the software and TNO of Holland checked the physical pieces and components. The electoral reform society, not to be confused with the Electoral Reform Commission, has cleared the software. All the software and hardware has been accredited by the EC.

There is no electoral commission in this country and it could take some time to establish one. The Public Offices Commission should not be confused with the electoral commission as in the UK. I know tallies are exciting for all of us, and Senator Coghlan referred to secrecy. I will outline my experience on an island off Donegal on which I, and Joe Brennan and Cormac Breslin before me, got three votes out of three. I do not think too many people complained about secrecy. I am not being flippant or facetious and I will deal with the Senator's question on secrecy.