asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of the very long delay on the part of the Land Registry in dealing with section 49 applications, of the concern and hardship consequently imposed on applicants and of the frustration of the legal profession following such delays; the steps he proposes to take to bring this important work up to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Land Registry Delays.
65.
Limerick East): The embargo on the creation and filling of public service posts applies to the Land Registry and that limits the possibilities for expediting the rate at which cases can be disposed of. An Examiner of Titles has been redeployed from other work to deal with applications of the kind referred to and the procedures followed have been improved to enable cases to be dealt with more quickly.
However, it must be accepted that, irrespective of any staffing problems, section 49 applications are likely to take some time. They represent about 4 per cent of the total number of applications for registration dealt with annually by the Land Registry. Relating as they do to applications for title based on possession, they are usually complex cases which involve detailed examination of title, necessitating extensive correspondence and the issue of statutory notices to interested parties, with the result that registration cannot be effected quickly. One cause of delay has been the incompleteness of the information supplied in some cases by solicitors. The Incorporated Law Society, with the co-operation of the Land Registry, is taking steps with a view to improving standards in that particular respect.