Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

In short, there is now an urgent need to replace the current system with provisions more suited to modern conditions. This will involve the outright repeal of the eight old statutes under which the Registry of Deeds currently operates and their replacement, where necessary, with modern provisions. I think Senator Norris will be struck by the following matter. The Registration of Deeds Act 1707, which we are proposing to get rid of, states it is an Act "for securing purchases, preventing forgeries and fraudulent gifts and conveyances of land, tenements and hereditaments, which have been frequently practised in this kingdom, especially by papists, to the great prejudice of the Protestant interest thereof".