I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 110, 145, 158 and 298 to 301, inclusive, together.
My Department is developing, in parallel with the continuing work of the Commission on Electronic Voting, a programme of further assessment, testing and validation which is intended to address the concerns raised in the commission's interim and first reports with regard to the secrecy and accuracy of the electronic voting and counting system. I am giving full consideration to the views of the commission as set out in its reports. I will ensure that its analysis will inform and guide the programme, and that all of the commission's recommendations for action will be appropriately addressed in the work ahead. The timing of the further use of the system is dependent on the progress made with this programme of work and the dates on which future polls may be held.
The total cost to date of the electronic voting and counting project is €51.65 million. Regarding storage costs, information provided by returning officers to my Department indicates that the total annual storage cost of the electronic voting and ancillary equipment is some €658,000; the annual storage cost relating to the Dublin constituencies is some €128,000. Actual claims by returning officers are being processed by the Department of Finance for payment from the central fund. I am satisfied that the guidelines provided to returning officers in regard to the storage of electronic voting equipment were appropriate in the context of their statutory responsibility for running elections and referenda and their long-standing jurisdiction in such matters in their respective constituencies.
Apart from annual storage costs, it is not possible at this stage to quantify additional costs that may arise in relation to the electronic voting and counting system. In any event, such costs are likely to be small relative to the capital investment already made.