The Government is facing further pressure this week on the future of its controversial electronic voting system with the publication later today of the final report by the independent commission asked to examine the accuracy and security of the system.
The report by the Commission on Electronic Voting (CEV) will be presented formally to the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon, later today and is likely to be published by the Oireachtas this afternoon.
The report is expected to advise that the system, which has cost the State more than €50 million to date, will need additional work and modifications if it is to be used in a national election.
It will also include the findings of a series of tests carried out on the software used in the system, which was made by Dutch firm Nedap.
Although not a central issue in the report, it is also expected to address having a paper trail, a practice which is becoming increasingly common in the US and other jurisdictions, where printers are attached to give a paper back-up to the electronic system.
The manufacturers of the system and the Department of the Environment were given an opportunity to respond to the draft findings of the report in the last two months.
Two weeks ago, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern appeared to rule the "paper trail" out in the Dáil when he said there was "not much point in having technology if you go that route. If that is the Irish solution to electronic voting in 2006, God help our ability to stay strong on software".
The Government has already promised that the system will not be used in next year's general election, but it has yet to give any indication on its future plans for the system, stating that no decision will be made pending the deliberations of the commission.
In April 2004, the Government abandoned plans to roll out electronic voting after an initial commission report said there had been insufficient testing carried out on the system to ensure its security and accuracy.
The commission, which is chaired by retired judge Matthew P Smyth, and includes two senior civil servants, was established by the Government after various experts raised concerns about the system.
A follow-up report by the commission again raised concerns concerning the ability of computer experts to override the security measures designed to prevent against tampering.
Since then, the 7,500 machines have been stored at various locations across the country, at a cost of nearly €700,000 a year.
Last year, Minister for the Environment Dick Roche announced plans to move the machines to a central storage location to reduce storage costs.