Probe to decide fate of e-voting machines

AN OIREACHTAS committee is set to examine whether the country’s much-derided e-voting machines should finally be scrapped.

The chairman of the committee, Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming, said it was time to “bite the bullet” and see if “all-party agreement” could be reached on the future of the machines.

They have remained in storage ever since an independent advisory group warned the Government they were unsuitable for use in elections because of concerns about their security.

The Government, however, has insisted that, with the necessary modifications, the machines can be used in future elections, and that the €51 million spent on their purchase will, therefore, not prove a waste of money.

However, the cross-party Oireachtas committee on the environment and local government is preparing to re-examine the issue and several of its members have doubts about the system.

At the most recent meeting of the committee, Fine Gael TD James Bannon said there was a “great deal of disquiet” among the public about the annual cost of storing the machines. The Government’s initial spend on the machines was €51.3m, a figure that included a €2.6m public awareness campaign. However, since the machines were mothballed, the Government has had to pay huge sums to store them, with last year’s bill reaching €706,000.

Mr Fleming, agreed to examine the issue. The committee is assessing the condition of the electoral register and related issues, and will be drafting a report in the new year.

“If we are dealing with electoral issues, we may as well bite the bullet on that topic and try to get all-party agreement on it,” said Mr Fleming.

Several committee members believe the machines will not be used again.

“People have lost confidence in that system and it has been proven faulty. It is a huge waste of taxpayers’ money which could be put to much better use,” said Mr Bannon.

Labour TD Ciarán Lynch said there was a question about the future compatibility of the machines, given the speed at which technology becomes outdated.

The Government, however, has argued the machines have a lifespan of 20 years. And in a bid to reduce the storage costs, it has moved about 4,700 of the 7,504 machines to Gormanston Army Camp.

The machines were used on a pilot basis in the 2002 general election and the second Nice referendum that same year.

They were scrapped after the Commission on Electronic Voting said it did not have sufficient confidence in them.