Taxpayers will pay dearly to modify electronic voting machines
The Department of the Environment also said it had not even checked whether a paper audit trail could be added to the machines in time for this summer's elections.
More than 6,000 machines have already been delivered at a cost of €27m, while all 7,000 will be here before the end of March. They cost €4,580 each.
Roy Lowden, managing director of Powervote the company responsible for making the machines said any modifications to accommodate spoiled votes would be expensive.
"Yes, it would be because you are going backwards," he said, adding that no figure could be put on the cost of amendments until the Government decided exactly what it wanted.
Mr Lowden said he was disappointed at the way the debate had been taken by critics of the system, whom he said were speaking with a certain level of ignorance.
"When you look at a product system you need to look at it on its individual merits. We're not trying to hide anything or shy away from anything. We only have to fail once and our business is gone," he said.
Although officials conceded that modifications needed to facilitate spoiled votes would be time consuming and expensive, the department continued to resist calls for an audit trail saying it was not considered necessary.
David Walsh from the department's franchising section said he had no indication whether the addition of a paper trail facility could be done before June's elections.
"We have no indication of how much time we would need.
"You can add something to anything if you have the time and inclination.
"We feel it's not necessary," he said. When asked what would happen if a court ruled in favour of the addition of a paper trail, Mr Walsh said the department would then have to consider it. "At that point we'd have to look at it and see," he said.
Fine Gael environment spokesman Bernard Allen called on the Government to sideline the introduction of electronic voting until questions on the provision of a paper trail, the count software and public confidence were answered.
"They jack-booted the issue through the Oireachtas Committee without the major questions being answered. Instead, we are getting arrogant, evasive statements without dealing with the key issues.
"Whatever it takes to safeguard democracy is worth it. People died in this country to have a democracy we are proud of. Whatever the cost of protecting that will be worth it."
Labour environment spokesman Eamon Gilmore said the Government had to allow time for adjustments to be made, a paper audit trail to be introduced and public confidence to be restored in the system.
"The legislation has not yet been introduced, much less debated or passed. Until such time, there should be a complete cessation of electronic voting and public expenditure on it," he said.
