Derek McDowell (Labour)

I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Cathaoirleach and the Members of both Houses for the constructive approach shown with regard to this Bill. Last year when it was introduced to this House, I stated that the reforms contained in the Bill would help to make the conveyancing of land easier and faster and would reduce registration delays and associated costs. The additional reforms introduced by means of amendments during its passage through both Houses will also contribute significantly to the process of modernisation of our property registration system. This modernisation will in turn contribute to an improved domestic business environment and will improve our international ranking as a location in which to do business.

The new property registration authority will have the function of controlling and managing both of our existing registries, the Land Registry and the registry of deeds, as well as promoting the extending of registration of ownership of land. The extending of registration of ownership of land is a key objective as we move towards electronic conveyancing of land.

I have already extended compulsory registration to three further counties, namely, counties Longford, Roscommon and Westmeath, with effect from 1 April. However, further rapid progress is essential and I will ask the new authority to give particular attention to the further extension of compulsory registration in its first strategic plan.

When I introduced the Bill, I also referred to the urgent need to update and streamline our land and conveyancing laws. I mentioned the joint modernisation project which my Department has undertaken with the Law Reform Commission. In that context, the text of a land and conveyancing Bill is close to being finalised for publication and I intend to have it presented to this House in the current session. The new Bill will simplify and streamline land and conveyancing law, with a view to making it more easily comprehensible for legal practitioners and the public alike, updating it in order to accommodate changing social, economic and demographic needs, including new forms of property ownership, and making the conveyancing of land easier and faster.

I look forward to introducing the new Bill in this House because it will sweep away many centuries of accretion of law, going back in some cases to the 13th century. Hence, this will be a quite radical and reforming Bill. More than 150 pre-1922 statutes will be swept away and replaced with provisions which are more suitable to the 21st century. Some of the statutes are almost as old as the arrival of the Normans, which shows something.