James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 9:

In page 7, subsection (1), between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following definition:

"'source code' means the data which defines the principles or logic governing the operation of a system of electronic voting;".

Amendment No. 20 would require the publication of the source code of any electronic voting system, including in the event that a source code is amended, changed or disregarded. The amendment is related to amendment No. 7 which proposes that the term "source code" be defined. For some time, the Opposition parties have called for the publication of the source code, the guiding principles on which the electronic voting system is based. It is unacceptable to ask people to exercise their democratic franchise using machines when nobody knows how they work. Publication of the source code is fundamental to securing public trust in any system of electronic voting.

It is not acceptable to argue that the source code is a trade secret or confidential. The contract to buy the voting machines was funded by taxpayers' money. As the public are expected to use the machines, they have the right to know the source code and this is the purpose of the amendments. I was disappointed that the Minister of State did not yield on the previous amendment and ask him to yield on these amendments.