"Despite spending at least 51 million euro over the last decade buying
and storing 7000 e-voting machines from Dutch firm Nedap, the Irish
Finance minister has announced that they are now 'worthless'. The
machines were originally trialled in 2002 on three regional elections,
but a nationwide rollout in 2004 was put on hold after a confidential
report expressed serious concern over the security of the voting
machines. According to the report, the integrity of the ballot could not
be guaranteed with the equipment and controls used. Several years on, and
tens of millions later, it looks like the pen and paper ballot will
remain for now."

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/01...ish-government

The Government has announced plans to dispose of electronic voting
machines which have cost over €54m.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0111/evoting.html

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said a request for tenders
will be published by the end of the month, seeking proposals either for
the purchase of the equipment or its disposal as waste.

In a statement, the Minister said the market was to be tested to see if
anyone wants to buy the machines.

However, he said that while being optimistic, they also had to be
realistic, which is why the request for tenders also included the option
of disposal as waste.

Ealier, the Minister for Finance said the machines purchased were now
worthless.

Referring to comments by the then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Michael Noonan
said Fianna Fáil had been climbing the summit of hubris when they
concluded "the peann luaidhe" was no longer fashionable.

He then said there may be a market for the machines in Irish-themed pubs
across the world.

E-voting machines were originally trialled in three constituencies in the
2002 General Election.

A nation-wide roll-out had been planned ahead of European and local
elections in 2004, however this was put on hold after concerns were
raised around the machines' security.

After it was deemed too expensive to make the required changes, the
Government sought another country to buy the machines from them, however
none was found.

In October 2010, then Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the machines would be
disposed of.

It is estimated that €51m was spent on e-voting machines before the
decision to scrap them was made, not including the cost of storage and
maintenance.

This was put at €696,000 in 2006 alone, which was said to be as a result
of the need to insure the machines and keep them in a secure location.

On 13/01/2012 06:01, contrick wrote:
It's a bloody good job it wasn't real money!

--
Moving things in still pictures