The Government is facing an additional bill running into several million euro to address serious deficiencies identified in its €52 million electronic voting system. The independent Commission on Electronic Voting (CEV) has concluded that the 7,500 voting machines are usable, subject to modifications and further rigorous testing.
However the key software used to count the votes on centralised computers in the system should be replaced, the commission has recommended.
Yesterday Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for the Environment Dick Roche indicated that the Government would be addressing the commission's concerns and recommendations with a view to bringing electronic voting into use, but not at the next election. "We're talking about very minor adjustments," Mr Roche claimed yesterday.
It was unclear last night whether Fianna Fáil support for the system was shared by the Progressive Democrats, which voted earlier this year at its party conference to abandon electronic voting. A spokesman for Tánaiste Mary Harney indicated there had been no change in party policy in the wake of the commission's report.
Mr Roche said he intended to bring forward plans to Government next week for the establishment of a Cabinet sub-committee to examine the CEV recommendations, and consider what measures were necessary to improve public confidence in electronic voting, including the establishment of an independent electoral commission.
The report includes 41 separate recommendations, 33 of which relate to changes needed before the current system could be brought up to a standard equal, or better, to the current paper voting method.
A further eight recommendations, including the establishment of an independent electoral commission and the centralised storage of the machines, were also made.
It has made no specific recommendations on a paper trail, although it highlighted the need to keep in line with best international practice, which is moving towards vote paper trails.
The report found it could recommend the machines for use subject to the implementation of all the recommendations, including enhancing electronic and physical security measures to prevent against tampering.
Its main criticism related to the software used on central PCs to count votes at election centres. The programme, a central part of the Nedap Powervote system bought by the Government, "had not been developed in accordance with any recognisable standard process and is thus unlikely to be capable of meeting the standards of software engineering that would be required in a mission-critical system", the report stated. It found alternative software could be developed "at a reasonable relative cost".
The commission has provided no figures on the potential cost of new software it has recommended. Mr Roche also dismissed suggestions that the costs would approach €10 million. He pointed out the licensing cost of the current programme of €500,000 but said he could not put a cost on its potential replacement.
However it is understood that international software experts have indicated the cost of developing a new programme at between €3 million and €5 million. Additional testing of the system recommended by the commission is also likely to add to this cost.
Previously the development of so-called bespoke software for Government agencies has been extremely costly. The development of the internet public service broker to allow online transactions with State bodies has cost €26 million to date, a considerable proportion of which has been spent on software development and research.
Dáil report: page 8