Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which the task force established to deal with the matter of the sale of voting machine units will conclude its work; and where funds generated from their eventual sale will be directed. [11513/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In addressing the legacy of the electronic voting project, my priority is to see that the equipment is disposed of as soon as possible.

I have asked the Task Force that was established to oversee the cessation of the project to consider proposals for the disposal of the equipment, with a view towards immediately progressing arrangements. The Task Force met on 12 April 2011, and the necessary preliminary and background work to enable the disposal of the equipment to proceed is currently under way. This is to be completed as soon as possible.

While proposals have not at this stage been invited in respect of the equipment, some expressions of interest have previously been received. These were considered by the Task Force in the context of putting arrangements for disposal in place.

In considering options for disposal of the equipment, the priority is to pursue the most economically advantageous approach, with a view to achieving the maximum recovery of cost possible in the circumstances, consistent with environmental and other obligations.

In this context, any funds that may be recovered following the disposal of the equipment will fall to be returned directly to the Exchequer.