Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 524: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the costs incurred in storing the electronic voting machines at Gormanstown Camp, County Meath including staff costs, cost of a closed circuit television system, security and any other cost involved on a once off basis; the expected recurring costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8626/07]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 527: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the costs incurred to date by the Commission on Electronic Voting including appointment of consultants, software redesign work, and any other cost including all cost related to the peer review group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8706/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 524 and 527 together.

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 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. This was against the background that 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.

It is not possible to detail conclusively at this stage the total costs which will be associated with the centralised storage arrangements. 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). Preparatory work was carried out on the hangar at a cost of some €7,000. The alarm and CCTV system protecting the hangar is an existing feature of the premises and has no additional cost implications; similarly, there are no additional staffing requirements.

The work of the Cabinet Committee on Electronic Voting has not to date involved the incurring of specific costs.