Electronic voting debate: The Progressive Democrats have called on the Government to review its commitment to introduce electronic voting, with party members describing the experiment as expensive, undemocratic and unworkable.
Senator Tom Morrissey said there were serious questions about the technical aspects of the system, and that electronic voting was originally "foisted upon us" by the Government.
He said plans for a national roll-out were cancelled only after the Government was forced to consult an independent commission that raised concerns about the system.
Mr Morrissey said that because the owner of the computer programme controlling the system is a Dutch national, a court challenge to an electronic vote election would be impossible.
Speaking in favour of a motion calling for a review of electronic voting, which was passed by delegates, he described electronic voting as "the most expensive and undemocratic tinkering with our electoral process".
The electronic voting project was promoted in Government by then environment minister Martin Cullen of Fianna Fáil, who abandoned plans to use it for local and European elections last June after an official report said its reliability could not be guaranteed.
Sirena Campbell, who stood for the Progressive Democrats in the Meath byelection, said the system, which has cost €52 million to date, should be scrapped.
"Let us abandon this unwanted albatross which has cost enough money already and has zero public confidence," she said.
Meanwhile, Minister of State at the Office of Public Works Tom Parlon announced that deals had been agreed and land secured for 12 Civil Service decentralisation locations in recent weeks.
These sites are at Clonakilty, Portarlington, Birr, Killarney, Newcastle West, Athlone, Carlow, Knock, Dundalk, the Curragh, Thurles and Furbo. He said deals had been agreed in principle on a further four sites, and the State would rent offices in five locations to allow for early staff movements. These offices are in Tullamore, Kilrush, Limerick, Listowel and Carrick-on-Shannon.
He rejected suggestions that the high cost of relocation, estimated at €1 billion, would mean that much of the decentralisation programme would not proceed.
"There is no question about it; decentralisation is happening," Mr Parlon said.
Referring to complaints from unions that officials were being bullied into relocating because willingness to decentralise is a condition of promotions in the Civil Service, he said the programme would be "entirely voluntary".
People who chose to remain in Dublin "will be fully facilitated within the system", he said.
The party also passed a motion calling on the Government to amend planning legislation to give a statutory right to planning for family members on their own land.