Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when responsibility for the storage of electronic voting machines was assigned to returning officers; the guidelines that were provided to returning officers in regard to the suitability of accommodation and the preferred type and length of storage contracts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43341/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the replies to Question Nos. 220 of 13 November 2008 and 152 of 20 November 2008. Responsibility for the security and safe storage of manual voting electoral materials (such as ballot boxes, stamping instruments and stationery) is a matter for the Returning Officers, who are statutorily responsible for conducting the polls. Accordingly, similar responsibility was assigned to Returning Officers to make the necessary arrangements in relation to the storage of the electronic voting machines and equipment. Returning Officers undertook the task of procuring suitable accommodation for the electronic voting machines and ancillary equipment, and the detailed contractual and other arrangements put in place by Returning Officers reflect the varying circumstances applying at local level.

In January 2003, Returning Officers were advised by my Department to make arrangements for storage of the voting equipment in advance of delivery and, in this regard, of the need for the machines to be stored in a clean, dry atmosphere and of the space likely to be required for this purpose. This guidance was set out in Circular Letter F. 2/03 of 3 January 2003, issued by my Department. I will arrange for a copy of this circular to be forwarded to the Deputy.