€55m e-voting machines sold for just €70,000

Every vote counts, especially when they cost taxpayers over €55m.

The debacle of the State’s useless e-voting machines finally came to an end yesterday after the devices were offloaded to a recycling firm.

The sale of each machine will net less than €10, as opposed to the estimated €7,333 it has cost to buy and store each one.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan said the agreed sale of the devices brought the episode to a conclusion on behalf of the taxpayer.

He laid the blame for the €55m spent on buying and storing the machines on a former Fianna Fáil-led government.

“From the outset, this project was ill-conceived and poorly planned by my predecessors and as a result it has cost the taxpayer €55m,” he said. “While this is a scandalous waste of public money, I am happy to say that we will not incur any further costs in [their] disposal.”

KMK Metals Recycling Ltd in Tullamore, Co Offaly, has agreed to buy and dispose of all 7,500 machines and accompanying equipment for €70,267. The deal means the State will receive just €9.37 for each device.

Mr Hogan said the State had been expecting to have to pay for the disposal of the devices.

Department officials said the offer was the best bid out of seven tenders, and that the agreement meant the State would no longer have to foot the annual €140,000 in storage costs to house the machines.

Removal of the device will be completed by September. The company has also agreed to dispose of 12,842 ballot modules, 1,232 transport trolleys, and 2,142 hand trolleys for moving the machines, as well as thousands of metal trays and tables connected with the hardware. In total, some 22,367 items will be taken away.

Mr Hogan said the company had agreed, in line with regulations on the disposal of electronic machines, to recycle parts of the devices.

“The electronic voting machines will now be dismantled,” he said. “Whatever elements of the equipment can be reused will be reused.”

Over 60% of the machines are stored at Gormanston army camp, Co Meath, where there are no ongoing rental costs. The remaining devices are stored at 13 premises around the country, where some leases will be wound down, while other locations will be used to house traditional manual voting equipment such as ballot boxes.

Mr Hogan suggested that one machine might be kept in the department for “posterity purposes”.

The Fianna Fáil/Progressive Democrat government agreed to buy the machines originally for €50m after they were piloted in several constituencies in the 2002 general election and the Nice referendum.

The adoption of the e-voting system had been promoted by Noel Dempsey and Martin Cullen, both former environment ministers.