Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I am taking this item on behalf of my colleague, Senator Warfield, who is unavailable. He sends his apologies. As the Minister of State knows, we very often stand in the Chamber to discuss matters relating to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. It is normally to criticise failed policy and inaction on the part of this or previous Governments but, as Senator Cummins rightly noted, this is generally non-contentious legislation. Today marks a welcome change. I am sure the Minister of State will be glad to hear that.

I have some observations, however, that I would like to raise with the Minister of State on Second Stage. Ten years after the initiation of the review of this potential merger commenced, the Government has finally brought forward this proposed legislation, which is largely welcome. Nonetheless, given how long we have waited for this very important legislation, it is crucial that we now give it the full consideration and scrutiny that is required. This is a vital opportunity to ensure we have the robust legislative scaffolding necessary to support a comprehensive land management policy and strategy into the future.

I am disappointed that we have not taken the opportunity thus far to provide for a live, real-time, land transaction register. Given that such a register already exists with regard to house transactions, there is no constitutional reason, in my view, such a register could not also be created for land transactions. It is currently virtually impossible to know what the actual price of land is at any given time. A live, real-time, land transaction register would provide real-time information on land prices. Such information is particularly crucial in the context of residential development land values.

I urge the Minister of State to have consideration for the wider purpose of this Bill, namely, to assist in the provision of a modern, comprehensive service that will provide accurate, reliable and readily available information. Such a service is vital to provide certainty to all and to promote non-judicial resolution of disputes in this area. However, the ability to provide such a service is somewhat hindered by the occasionally inaccurate information on the land registry. It is my understanding that such inaccuracies are, through no lack of diligence on the part of the hard-working individuals who undertake such work, a consequence of the transfer of records from paper to digital format. If we are to provide the service envisioned in the mission statement, it is vital that we have a clear understanding of what did and did not go right with this digital transfer process. I therefore ask the Minister of State to consider ensuring the Bill contains a built-in early review mechanism, which would allow Tailte Éireann to undertake such work.

I would like the Minister of State to consider our recommendation with regard to the relocation of the Property Services Regulatory Authority, PSRA.As my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, stated in the Dáil, while not within the gift of the Minister of State, this would be the opportune time for the Department of Justice to relinquish control of the PSRA. Relocating the PSRA to Tailte Éireann would give impetus to the much-needed reform of the authority. Despite its key function in our housing market, the PSRA is something of a toothless tiger. It does not have a strong legislative underpinning or enforcement powers and only has a voluntary code of conduct. Such reform is particularly urgent in light of the increase in home transactions and purchases.

Sinn Féin supports the Bill. I urge the Minister of State to consider my proposals and ensure we have the robust, legislative scaffolding required to support a comprehensive land management policy and strategy into the future.