Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason it was decided to centrally store electronic voting machines at Gormanstown military base; the further reason a non-weather proof venue was not chosen; the cost of using this facility; the cost to date of storage of the machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7029/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The Government decision to proceed with the movement of the electronic voting equipment to centralised premises was made taking into account a range of factors, including costs of current and centralised arrangements and the likely benefits to be realised. In this regard, the Commission on Electronic Voting in its Second Report concluded that, as the current arrangements under which voting equipment is stored at 25 locations are likely to give rise to continuing variations in the implementation of security and related control measures, together with replication of similar costs of implementation of these measures which are not insignificant across individual centres, enhanced and more uniform security and greater economy of security costs could be achieved through the rationalisation of storage on a regional or centralised basis.

The electronic voting equipment will be housed in weatherproof locked metal storage containers at Gormanston Aerodrome, as an added protection, the containers have also been insulated. On the advice of the manufacturers, the containers will, in addition, contain desiccants to absorb any moisture generated due to temperature variations. The containers are stored in one complete section of an aircraft hangar on the site of a full-time army barracks. The hangar has been inspected by the Office of Public Works and, with their assistance, has been made ready for storage purposes. The hangar itself is locked, alarmed and monitored by CCTV cameras. Accordingly, I am satisfied that the equipment will be appropriately stored at Gormanston.

Information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the annual storage costs for the electronic voting machines and ancillary equipment under local arrangements is currently some €705,000, with figures for 2005 and 2004 amounting to some €696,000 and €658,000 respectively. It is not possible to detail conclusively at this stage the total costs which will be associated with the centralised storage arrangements, including costs relating to the transport of the equipment to Gormanston. Arrangements have been made for the procurement of 48 metal storage containers and ancillary items for Gormanston Aerodrome at a cost of €112,750 (excluding VAT).