Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the ongoing cost on a monthly and yearly basis of storing and maintaining electronic voting machines. [42091/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Data in respect of the annual costs associated with the local storage of electronic voting machines are compiled by my Department. 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.