Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the cost of storage of electronic voting machines in 2009; his views on scrapping them in view of the need to make cutbacks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10247/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the action he has taken or proposes to take to bring to an end all public expenditure associated with electronic voting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10172/09]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the decision of the German Constitutional Court to rule out the use of Nedap electronic voting machines similar to those in storage here on the grounds that it should be possible to check election procedures and results in a reliable fashion and without any particular specialist knowledge; if this examination will facilitate him in reaching a conclusion; if he will cut the loss to the State by scrapping these redundant machines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10140/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 73, 85 and 97 together.

I am aware of the recent decision in the German courts in relation to the future use of electronic voting machines in the conduct of elections held in that country.

Relevant experiences and developments in other jurisdictions are being taken into account in considering the next steps in relation to electronic voting and counting in Ireland. As part of this process, I am also taking into account the work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, which has examined the system, 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.

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 important that we come to the best possible decision. It is not possible to make more specific comment at this point on the project itself, or on future plans for the machines, pending completion of the necessary work and a decision by Government in the matter.

Information on the costs associated with the storage of electronic voting machines is compiled annually by my Department. Based on figures received from Returning Officers, the total annual costs for storage of the electronic voting equipment (including the cost of insurance, service charges, rates and heating) in 2008 were some €204,000.