Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

How will this appear in our computerised system? Has Northern Ireland engaged in this process ahead of us? Do those people with land on both sides of the Border have a computerised register of title for the land in the North but not for that in the South? These anomalies need to be reviewed. The major issue is to have all the land registered. The system cannot be computerised until it is registered. Before the Minister arrived, I pointed out that the Estimates for 2006 did not provide funding to deal with this new legislation, or to employ additional staff or services. It is hard to imagine anything happening next year without a Supplementary Estimate.

Why should church lands be exempt? I do not see why the church should be treated differently. While it could be argued that the Law Reform Commission recommended this course of action, the Minister has been known to step out of line with recommendations made to him. Why should we not have the same system for all land? Why should we allow one section to be non-compliant with compulsory registration? Do I see the Minister shaking his head indicating this has been changed? We might see an amendment to this effect.

This legislation is necessary. I will not say it is timely — we should have had it before now. Much work remains to be done before we reach the computer age in having the title and deeds registered in a fashion that will allow them to be computerised. We will also need a paper trail. We know the problem we have experienced with electronic voting and intoxalysers not having a paper trail. The documents will need to be carefully stored, indexed and accessible. I understand little work on the indexation of land records has been done. In the past 60 years not a single parcel of land has been indexed. We have had no indexation of any of the land and property that has changed hands in the past 60 years. That paper trail needs to be considered very carefully.

I welcome the legislation and the repeal of all the redundant, archaic statutes, mainly pre-1922 and some which were enacted since. I urge the Minister to provide funding in order that we can carry out the necessary work referred to in the legislation leading to a computerised system of deeds and title for all the lands in the country.

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