Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I mention the use of this technology because it contrasts with the way in which we used to buy our groceries 50 years ago, of which our methods of conveyancing property and land registration are the equivalents.

It was interesting to hear the Minister and Senator Mansergh refer to the interesting historical records that exist. They should be part of our history but should not be used in a modern era. Thanks to computerisation, we are now freed of the costly shackles that characterised the system. We can now begin to buy and sell property in a common sense way that reflects the underlying simplicity of the transactions involved. We should all heartily welcome the computerisation of the Land Registry and wish it God speed. It will bring about a change to the manner in which we do business.

I regard the computerisation of the registry not just as one step but as one more step in the simplification and democratisation of the administration of this country. A modern country such as ours runs very much on information. Information is the very lifeblood of what we must do if we are to have a sophisticated civilisation. The manner in which we deal with information not only determines the efficiency of our system but also the extent to which it genuinely belongs to the citizens. Anything we can do to make information more readily available will bring citizens closer to Government.

We now have available to us the technology to ensure that people can connect instantly with information that concerns them, particularly personal information. The idea that people should have to queue for hours to obtain their birth or marriage certificates is nothing short of ludicrous in this age. When future generations look back at how we did things, they will question how we lived as we did, just as our children question how we lived in the past.

The purpose of one of the projects involved in the European Union's Lisbon Agenda is to spread the practice of e-democracy or e-governance much more widely throughout Europe. This was seen as a matter of competition with the rest of the world. However, it is even more important than this because e-governance has the potential to bridge the ever-widening gap that yawns between the State and its citizens, something we all deplore. Anything we can do to remove it is good. We should welcome and encourage measures in this regard as much as we can.

This Bill is just one part of a jigsaw that is enabling us to bring citizens much closer to governance, to what we do in the Houses and to the State, of which they might otherwise be fearful. One challenge presents itself, namely, that of privacy. People are concerned about "Big Brother". If information is so readily available, we must find a way to ensure we can put our minds and those of the citizens at rest.

I welcome the Bill and the steps the Minister is taking. I welcome even more his attitude, as indicated by his promise to table certain amendments on Committee Stage.