Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 83: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the costs to date of the development, roll out and promotion of the electronic voting and counting system; the costs to date of storage and maintenance of the system; the action that is required, by which agency and the timescale to facilitate the re-introduction of the stored machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14454/08]

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 some €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 €489,000, 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. Costs incurred to date in respect of the movement of the electronic voting equipment to centralised storage arrangements are some €328,000. Further costs will be incurred in relation to the completion of these arrangements, including buy-out costs.

The Commission on Electronic Voting concluded in its Second Report on the Secrecy, Accuracy and Testing of the Chosen Electronic Voting System, which was published in July 2006, that the voting equipment chosen for use in Ireland could be used, subject to further work which it also recommended. This included the replacement of the election management software, as well as adaptations to the equipment and further end to end testing. I am at present considering the next steps to be taken in relation to this project. In this, I am taking into account the work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, relevant experiences and developments internationally, and the need to maintain public confidence in the electoral process, as well as the provisions in the Programme for Government relating to electoral reform generally.