Minister for the Environment John Gormley has refused to rule out using electronic voting machines in future elections. The machines are currently in storage. He said that an official report had recently been published in the Netherlands about the Nedap electronic voting system which was in operation there.
"An official English translation of the report is not yet available. The House will appreciate that I do not propose to comment until I have received the report and had an opportunity to consider it."
Fine Gael spokesman Phil Hogan pointed out that the Dutch government had abandoned using the machines. He said that in the Republic €60 million had been spent on the machines, including their storage.
Mr Gormley said he was aware of reports of a recent court judgment in the Netherlands to the effect that electronic voting machines should not be used in a mayoral election in Utrecht. He understood, he added, that the decision had been made on the basis of non-compliance with the legal certification procedures governing the use of the system there.
Mr Gormley recalled that the final report of the commission on electronic voting last year had concluded that the voting equipment chosen for use in Ireland could be used subject to further work which was also recommended, such as the replacement of the election management software, the adaptation of the equipment and the undertaking of further end-to-end testing.
In making a decision, he would take into account the commission's report, any relevant findings from the Netherlands, the need to maintain public confidence in the electoral process and the provision in the programme for government relating to electoral reform generally.
Pressed further by Mr Hogan, the Minister said he was in favour of electronic voting, in principle. He had no intention of hiding behind the commission's report on the issue.
