Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 92: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if and when electronic voting will be used in elections here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7394/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Commission on Electronic Voting, in its Second Report on the Secrecy, Accuracy and Testing of the Chosen Electronic Voting System, (published on 4 July 2006), concluded that it can recommend the voting and counting equipment for use at elections in Ireland, subject to further work it has recommended. The Commission made it clear that many of its recommendations involve only relatively minor modifications or additions to the system.

In response to the report, the Government has established a Cabinet Committee on Electronic Voting, which I chair, to consider the report in detail; to report to the Government on the full implications of the Commission recommendations; consider the composition of a peer review group — drawn from international electoral reform bodies and the IT industry — to supervise any software redesign work; report to the Government on confidence building measures; and identify any other improvements that might be built into the system.

The Cabinet Committee also includes the Tánaiste and the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. The work of the Committee, which met most recently earlier this month, is underway to address the important and complex issues involved.

The timing of the further use of the system depends on the outcome of the ongoing work of the Committee, the associated decisions arising in this regard, and the dates at which future polls may be held.