E-voting equipment rigorously tested, says McCreevy

The electronic voting machine hardware had been rigorously tested on two occasions, the Minister for Finance told the House.

Mr McCreevy said there had been a pilot use of the system in 2002 and again last year following some modifications to the machine to make it easier to use. Security features had been added.

"The German institute for science and technology, PTB, has specifically stated in its report that the software accurately records the votes cast. Would that institute certify, in writing, the adequacy of the software if it were not satisfied with its structure and accuracy?"

Other tests on the hardware had been run by TNO, the Dutch electronic products and services company, and by Kema Quality BV, he added.

"These companies have examined and certified the physical voting machine components, and also subjected the voting machine and the supporting equipment to compliance tests in line with international standard and best practice for a range of environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, power supply, voltage and interruptions, electromagnetic compatibility, insulation, energy consumption and transportation."

Mr McCreevy said that an independent Irish software firm, Nathean Technologies, had undertaken a comprehensive architectural review of the election software.

"They have concluded that the code does not contain elements which can corrupt the correct running of the software. As a further precaution, all the computers \ will be used in the election will be stand-alone machines, and, therefore, will not be accessible by the Internet or networks."

He added that the computers would be "hardened" to remove or deactivate any software superfluous to the running of the election, and would only be accessed and activated by use of a security smart card, held by the returning officer, and an individual PIN number.

In addition, the Electoral Reform Services in the UK had tested the PR single transferable vote count rules against its database of more than 400 STV elections to ensure that the rules had been precisely applied, he added.

Mr McCreevy said that the Department of the Environment had introduced rigorous procedures for secure storage and maintenance throughout polling.

He added that many people might reminisce nostalgically "about sealing wax, twine and stubby pencils, three million ballot papers and the long counts we have all had to endure".

However, he asked if anybody was seriously suggesting that they should not critically examine how they went about managing elections in the 21st century. Suggestions, he said, that Fianna Fáil could not be trusted on the issue of electronic voting were "an insidious, unworthy, diabolical and appalling attempt to create doubt where there is no doubt".