Repeated calls for Cullen’s resignation

MINISTER for the Environment Martin Cullen yesterday endured the toughest day of his ministerial career as he faced repeated calls for his resignation.

The opposition called on Mr Cullen to step down on at least five occasions during heated exchanges in the Dáil over his handling of electronic voting.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and his Labour Party counterpart, Pat Rabbitte, both lambasted Mr Cullen’s stewardship of the system following the Government’s decision last Friday not to use it in the forthcoming European and local elections.

Both leaders charged that the €52 million investment had effectively been wasted.

Mr Kenny, describing it as an “expensive fiasco”, claimed it highlighted the kind of Government arrogance and incompetence “not seen in a long time” and asked Taoiseach Bertie Ahern if Mr Cullen had offered his resignation.

He said the €52 million expended would buy 60,000 schools computers and would also dramatically reduce hospital waiting lists.

Mr Rabbitte described the expenditure as a “waste of taxpayers’ money” and compared it to the e58m saved by the Government in the ‘savage 16’ social welfare cuts.

“The Taoiseach sometimes convinces me that if he was around at the time of the Wall Street crash, he would have come into the house and said it was good for the economy,” he said.

Mr Rabbitte went on to refer to Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy’s jibe two months ago that Fianna Fáil “leprechauns” were inside the machines.

“There were no FF leprechauns inside but there were FF leprechauns in charge of the machines,” he mocked.

Mr Ahern maintained no money had been wasted and that the machines that had been bought would have a lifespan of 20 years.

He contended the commission had not found that the system would not work but had referred to the desirability of allowing time to conduct full testing for secrecy, security and accuracy.

“It is unfortunate the system will not be used in the forthcoming election. However, elections come and go and the machines, when rectified to the Commission’s satisfaction, will be used in subsequent elections,” he said.

However, when asked whether or not he had received, contemplated, or accepted any ministerial resignation, Mr Ahern replied curtly: “No. No. No.”

Mr Cullen, speaking later in the Dáil, resisted calls to abandon the legislation enabling the introduction of electronic voting, which is currently passing through the Dáil.

He said that if that happened, there would be uproar from the opposition.

“The Electronic Voting Commission needs to be put on a statutory basis. There’s a solemn commitment given. They have it in their report,” he said.