Mr. Patrick Dorgan:

The Law Society is very glad to have been asked to assist the committee in its review of the progress of the implementation of e-conveyancing. I am chair of the Law Society's e-conveyancing task force established as a response to Law Reform Commission's report in 2006, which recommended the introduction of a system of e-conveyancing. This meeting today is timely, coming as it does on the publication of the Government’s 2020 construction strategy, which looks for the implementation of e-conveyancing. I am accompanied by my colleague, Dr. Gabriel Brennan, author of a thesis entitled An exploration of the impact of e-conveyancing upon management of risk in conveyancing transactions, who has led the Law Society’s research in this field. I am pleased to acknowledge the presence of Teranet, and various State agencies with whom we have had a very good and close working relationship over months and years. The absence of the Irish Banking Federation is regrettable, as it is a key player in this process, although it has sent a submission.