The Government has insisted that it will press ahead with the use of a €35 million electronic voting system in the elections next June. This is despite a call by the State's official auditor for "independent validation" of the system.
The Opposition made renewed calls for the roll-out of the system to be postponed after it emerged that the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr John Purcell, told a Dáil committee that there was a strong case for validation of the tests carried out on the system.
However, the Government said it would proceed with plans to initiate a €4.5 million publicity campaign about the system tomorrow.
The PR contract is being managed by Q4, a company part owned by the former general secretary of Fianna Fáil, Mr Martin Mackin, and Mr Jackie Gallagher, a former adviser to the Taoiseach.
Mr Purcell told the Committee of Public Accounts that there were no grounds for him to stall the procurement of the system because there was no indication that the Government lacked authority to buy the system.
However, he said in a letter to committee members that he could understand concerns about the system "given that the integrity and security of the voting system is fundamental to the exercise of democracy".
Mr Purcell said: "The importance of ensuring the integrity of the voting system dictates that the machines and their operating software should be subject to the most rigorous and comprehensive testing regime.
"Political and other considerations would suggest a strong case for independent validation of such testing before the machines are brought into use at elections."
Labour's environment spokesman Mr Eamon Gilmore said the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, should not proceed with his plans to use the system in the local and European elections in June.
Mr Gilmore said it was "very rare" for Mr Purcell to express views on matters other than those specifically relating to the expenditure of public money.
"I believe that it would be reckless for the Government to ignore the views expressed by such a highly-regarded constitutional officer of the State."
Mr Cullen's Department responded by saying that the system had "been independently verified by national and international experts in Germany, Holland and the UK".
A spokesman for the Department said more than 400,000 Irish people had used the system in trial polls, "and given it their approval".
Critics say the system cannot not be trusted as there is no paper record of votes cast. The Green leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, said the system would not enjoy public confidence if there was no paper record of votes cast.
