Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to give credit to and commend the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, IPAV, under the stewardship of Mr. Pat Davitt, on the work it has done in providing a seller's legal pack for property buyers. The aim of the seller's pack is to speed up the process and make it more cost-effective in property transactions. Everybody knows that the conveyancing process can unfortunately take between two and six months and can be very frustrating and stressful for people trying to buy a home. With that in mind, I also commend Deputy MacSharry who is introducing legislation on this issue next week in the Lower House. It is very worthwhile. The idea is to have the process run in a way similar to a public auction sale in that all the legal documents pertaining to the property would be front-loaded into a seller's pack. Anybody who is familiar with the legal process knows that in a public auction, it normally takes approximately four weeks to complete once the deposit has been paid. The intention of Deputy MacSharry's worthwhile legislation is to have a similar period. I ask that the Minister come to the House in order that we can debate the legislation forthcoming in the Lower House. It is an excellent idea. I again commend IPAV on bringing this initiative forward.