Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

It is wrong to say that the system has not been used. Holland, which has a population of 15 million, has been using the system for years.

On the matter of the former Leader of Fine Gael writing to the Taoiseach, the fact of the matter is that the leaflet is in the public domain stating that electronic voting is like one, two, three. I rest my case there. We are not in favour of Internet voting which appears to be Fine Gael policy. Deputy Kenny said Fine Gael was considering Internet voting. That would lead to corruption.

Electronic voting and counting will improve the efficiency, speed, accuracy and user friendliness of elections. It will eliminate the democratic wastage of spoilt votes. It is a desirable modernisation of the electoral system and I look forward to its successful implementation in the June polls of 2004.