Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the arrangements in place between the Land Registry and an Indian company in relation to the registration of deeds for the Munster area; the details of the arrangement that is in existence; and the way the arrangement is working. [32435/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I can inform the Deputy that the Property Registration Authority (PRA) does not have any arrangements in place for the registration of deeds for Munster (or any other area) with any third party. All deeds for registration in the Land Registry are processed by staff of the PRA. The Deputy may wish to note, however, that the PRA is currently engaged in a process of converting the Register into a fully electronic format, including the digitisation of maps and the capture of data concerning existing scanned records. As part of the PRA's Digital Mapping Project, the conversion of the Land Registry's paper maps into digital form is being undertaken through a contract with a company based in the United Kingdom. The digitisation element of the project is being carried out by a company located in India.

Under a separate contract, the latter company is also undertaking data capture involving the re-keying and conversion of information contained in existing scanned records into a new electronic format. A comprehensive Quality Assurance (QA) programme is carried out by PRA personnel and the work undertaken under both contracts is done to a very exacting standard. The Digital Mapping Project commenced in 2005 and is scheduled for completion in 2010, while the data capture exercise is scheduled for completion in 2009. Both contracts were awarded after extensive tendering exercises carried out under EU procurement rules and I understand that and both projects are proceeding very satisfactorily.