Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I accept the point made by the Minister that compulsory registration should perhaps be carried out gradually. I do not agree with him that there would be an enormous amount of additional work for the new authority, Land Registry or the Registry of Deeds because the work is carried out by the people who are registering the title. Solicitors, landowners or those who act on landowners' behalf are the ones who do the work involved in registering title. A landowner cannot simply hand the matter over to the Land Registry. One must be well prepared before going to the Land Registry.

If things continue as they are, it will take centuries to eliminate the Registry of Deeds from the system. There is a need for some imagination in dealing with this issue. If registration can be compulsory for three counties, it can be compulsory for many more. There are costs on one hand but there are savings on the other. I would take many of the things mentioned by the Minister with a pinch of salt. I accept his point about the gradual introduction of compulsory registration. Possibly, this is the way to go about it. I am interested in what the Minister produces on Report Stage. It is the type of matter which needs to be examined by experts with regard to the best way to do it. I withdraw the amendment. I take it that having raised the issue with my amendment, the Minister will bring forward an amendment on Report Stage.