Electronic voting in the Republic of Ireland the Government of Ireland established the Independent Commission on Electronic Voting and Counting at Elections to examine the proposed system. It was dissolved in 2006. The Commission issued a series of reports reviewing the proposed system and comparing it to the existing electoral system: "The Commission can recommend the voting and counting equipment as follows: The prime issue was the lack of verifiability by the absence of an audit mechanism or verified paper trail. The former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern had defended the flawed system in the Dáil, bemoaning the use of ""stupid old pencils"". The voting machines bought by the
Taoiseach refers to the system of tanistry, the Gaelic system of succession whereby a leader would appoint an heir apparent while still living. In Scottish Gaelic, "tòiseach" translates as clan chief and both words originally had similar meanings in the Gaelic languages of Scotland and Ireland. The related Welsh language word "tywysog" (current meaning: "prince") has a similar origin and meaning. It is hypothesized that both derive ultimately from the proto-Celtic *"towissākos" "chieftain, leader". The plural of "taoiseach" is "taoisigh" (). Although the Irish form "An Taoiseach" is sometimes used in English instead of "the Taoiseach", the English version of the