Extra security measures will have to be taken to safeguard electronic voting despite the Department of the Environment's assurances that the system is foolproof, a computer security company has insisted.
Last weekend, it emerged that the company, Zerflow Ltd, had warned the Department of the Environment the voting machines could be easily tampered with.
The criticism was dismissed quickly by the head of the department's franchise section, Mr Peter Green, who said a major conspiracy would be required by polling station staff.
However, Zerflow insisted yesterday that it stood over its warnings: "It is important that the recommendations are implemented before widescale use of electronic voting." The security company emphasised that it had no objection to electronic voting. "Zerflow has never suggested that electronic voting should not be introduced in Ireland.
"In fact, a lot of the new technologies we test for companies and other organisations can exhibit some teething problems," said the company's business development manager, Mr Tony Geraghty.
Urging the department to implement Zerflow's recommendations, Mr Geraghty said the voters' confidence in electronic voting must not be undermined in any way.
Meanwhile, the Labour TD, Mr Eamon Gilmore said plans to extend electronic voting should be put on hold until Zerflow's recommendations are implemented.
"There is no doubt about the efficiency of the electronic voting system, as we saw from the speed with which results were available in a number of constituencies on the night of the Nice referendum.
"But a voting has to be more than simply efficient. It also has to have the confidence of the public," he said. He was "not satisfied" that electronic voting was sufficiently transparent.
