Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004
522 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is planned to release the details of electronic voting records on the Internet as was done in the case of the pilot constituencies in the 2002 general election on the next occasion on which electronic voting is used; and the form in which those results will be published and the persons who will have access to the electronic files. [8262/04]
View answer523 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is possible through the selection of permutations and combinations of lower-order preferences for voters to create a form of electronic signature in respect of their votes; if his Department has considered the possibility that the existence of such electronic signatures can create the opportunity for a group of voters to enter into a contract to vote in a certain way, which would be verifiable afterwards by searching the electronic returns for the distinguishing electronic signature; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8263/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together.
I intend that legislative proposals on electronic voting to be brought forward urgently will address, inter alia, the type and format of any voting data to be published following elections, with regard to the constitutional requirement to preserve the secrecy of the ballot.
