Following a Government meeting, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has announced plans for the disposal of the State's electronic voting equipment.

A Request for Tenders is to be published before the end of January 2012 seeking proposals for either the purchase of the equipment or for its disposal through a process of recovery as waste, consistent with environmental and other obligations.

Minister Phil Hogan T.D. said: "I want to finally draw a line under the electronic voting project and also see that the equipment is disposed of properly. €54.756 million has been wasted on the project to date and every effort must be made now to sell the equipment and get as much of these costs back as is possible in the circumstances. The market is to be tested to see if there are any interested parties that may want to buy the machines. While being optimistic we also need to be realistic. It is possible that no reasonable or acceptable offer for sale will be received. That is why the Request for Tenders will also allow proposals for the recovery of the equipment. If this is the outcome of the tendering process, the electronic voting machines would then be dismantled. The recovery process would be carried out in line with national legislation and European regulations on the treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment."

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The Request for Tenders is to be published before the end of January 2012.

(CD/GK)