Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 112: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the cost to date of the development, roll out and promotion of the electronic voting and counting system; the cost to date of storage and maintenance of the system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35142/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The total cost incurred to date in the development and roll-out of the electronic voting and counting system is €51.3 million (including €2.6 million in respect of awareness and education initiatives). In addition, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage costs incurred by them in respect of the electronic voting machines and ancillary equipment in 2007 is some €528,000, with figures for 2004, 2005 and 2006 amounting to some €658,000; €696,000; and €706,000 respectively. The electronic voting machines do not require maintenance on an ongoing basis.

Historically, responsibility for the security and safe storage of manual voting equipment has been a matter for returning officers who are statutorily responsible for conducting the polls. Accordingly, similar responsibility was assigned to returning officers in regard to the storage of the electronic voting equipment. 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. Costs incurred to date in respect of the centralised storage arrangements are some €326,000. Further costs will be incurred in relation to the completion of these arrangements, including buy-out costs.