Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 443: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has sought or received a valuation of the electronic voting machines at the present time. [41791/08]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the spending to date on the evaluation, the acquisition and the storage of electronic voting machines; his estimate of the cost of storing the machines for a further five years; his views on whether this is an expenditure worth incurring; and if a Government decision is required to minimise the loss to the State by offering them for sale. [40600/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 446 together.

The total expenditure on the development and roll-out of the electronic voting system to date is some €51.3 million, the bulk of which has been incurred on the purchase of the voting machines and ancillary equipment.

In addition, based on figures received in my Department from Returning Officers, the total annual costs for storage of the electronic voting equipment (including the cost of insurance, service charges, rates and heating) for 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 were some €658,000; €696,000; €706,000; and €489,000 respectively. Provisional data from Returning Officers indicate that a total of some €139,000 was expended on storage in the first six months of 2008.

In 2007, over 60% of the electronic voting machines (some 4,762 in total) were moved to a central storage facility located at Gormanston Army Camp. Costs incurred to date in respect of the movement and storage of this equipment are some €328,000.

I am at present considering the next steps to be taken in relation to the electronic voting project. In this, I am taking into account the work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, which has examined the system, relevant experiences and developments internationally, 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. No valuation exercise has been undertaken along the lines referred to in the questions.

Given the scale of investment in the system to date, and the importance of the issues involved for our electoral system, it is essential that the future of the project be examined objectively and in a thorough and comprehensive manner. It is not possible to make more specific comment at this point on the project itself, or on future storage costs, pending completion of the necessary work and a decision by Government in the matter.