asked the Minister for Justice whether he is aware that serious inconvenience is caused to the legal profession by reason of the fact that the former practice whereby copies of folios could be obtained at the local Land Registry offices has been discontinued and that considerable delay takes place in securing copies of folios from the central offices in Dublin and whether, in the circumstances, he will restore the previous practice whereby such documents could be obtained in local offices.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Access to Legal Documents.
The practice referred to has not been discontinued and copies of folios may still be bespoken and obtained in local offices.
Some months ago, on account of an accumulation of arrears in some four or five local offices, the Registrar of Titles had the local registrars concerned informed that there existed in the central office facilities for the supply of copies of folios by the photostatic process more expeditiously than copies could, for the time being, be provided locally. It is not proposed to supersede the arrangement under which copies are supplied by the local offices and, in fact, this arrangement has already been reverted to in all but one of the local offices. In the case of this particular office certain difficulties in the way of the provision of trained personnel to fill vacancies may preclude a return to the old practice for some little time longer but this will be done as soon as circumstances permit.
Will the Minister indicate the location of the particular office?
I think the particular office is in Kildare and the difficulty is caused by the replacement of staff.
I congratulate the Minister on wrapping up its identity in a considerable volume of language. May I point out to him that considerable difficulty is experienced by members of the legal profession in Kildare in not being able to get copies of folios in the local Land Registry Office, that they have to seek copies in the Central Office in Dublin and that it frequently takes three weeks before they get the copies from Dublin? Would the Minister take some steps to strengthen the local Land Registry Office in Naas, even if it means sending down staff from Dublin to the office to relieve the congestion there until such time as local staff is recruited?
I will bring the Deputy's remarks to the attention of the Minister.
Would the Minister consider putting a photographic machine in each local office? Copycat machines, I think, are the ones used in the Central Office.
That is a separate question.
The same reply would apply there.