Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 589: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the financial cost of breaking the contracts with the storage providers of the electronic voting machines in each constituency; the cost of transporting electronic voting machines to the centralised storage location in Gormanstown; the cost of the upkeep for the centralised storage location in Gormanstown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24854/07]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 590: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the plans the Government has for a second centralised storage facility in view of the fact that the Gormanstown site does not have enough room to store all the election voting machines that were originally planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24855/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 589 and 590 together.

Significant progress has been made in the transfer of the electronic voting equipment to centralised premises in Gormanstown; arrangements are being made to transfer further such equipment to Gormanstown. The total transport costs available at present amount to €25,118 (VAT inclusive). It is anticipated that ongoing costs associated with the upkeep of the storage premises will be minimal. It would not be appropriate to comment at this stage on detailed costs that might be involved in the buy-out of leases given the commercial considerations involved.

It has been known from the outset that, while the majority of the electronic voting equipment could be stored at Gormanstown, an additional premises would be required to store the remainder; this matter is under consideration at present.