Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The transformation that is already taking place in the Land Registry represents good value for money. Some people see it purely as a stealth tax but it is more than that. It is an imposition designed to facilitate a badly needed modernisation drive. There is an infinite number of demands on the resources of the central Exchequer, including increased pensions, improved health services and so on. This particular area of State activity should, as Senator Walsh said, be self-financing.

Senator Tuffy asked if the staff were happy about having only one member on the authority. That is a standard provision which is quite satisfactory in the circumstances as it represents a significant advance on the current situation whereby there is no statutory body in existence. There is a shadow body in existence, but there is no statutory body. It is not appropriate to dominate a management body of this kind with its own employees. The staff regard this proposal as an enlightened advance and are not demanding that two or three members of the authority be elected from their ranks.

This is a progressive move. Senator Tuffy said that it is not radical law reform. She is correct and I concede that point. However, the documentation to be published in July proposes radical law reform. The Senators must await that but I assure them radical law reform in this area is coming.