Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Viva España!It would be timely for the Leader to consider allowing time for the continuation of consideration of the Registration of Wills Bill 2011, which I brought forward. The case of Heather Perrin, a former judge who is now serving two and a half years in prison brings this to mind. Ms Perrin, when practising as a solicitor, was responsible for a will that was defective and was to benefit her family. We know the case very well.
When I raised the issue of the registration of wills I predicted such an occurrence. This is not the first time a solicitor has benefitted from a will and it will not be the last. I recommend to everyone to check their will, find out where it is and who the beneficiary is, just in case.
When I was preparing the Bill a letter was sent by the former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Dermot Ahern, to the former Chief Whip, Pat Carey, in September 2009. The Minister said:

I should add that the views of the Law Society of Ireland on the desirability of establishing a registration of wills system were sought in 2005. The society's probate administration and trust committee subsequently notified my Department that they were opposed to the Bill on a number of grounds, both in terms of day to day implementation of its provisions and because it would infringe certain legal principles.