asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the delay in completing the transfer of ground rent purchases under the ground rent purchase scheme; the number of applications outstanding; and how long it is taking at present to complete the purchase of the fee simple (a) where consent is given and (b) where arbitration is involved.
Written Answers. - Ground Rent Purchase Scheme.
37.
Limerick East): Prior to 1983 the average annual intake of applications under the ground rents purchase scheme was roughly 5,500. In 1983 the intake increased to 19,378, largely due to the fact that the scheme had been scheduled to end on 31 July 1983. As the staff restrictions applicable to the Civil Service generally were in force in 1983 and as the Land Registry is a part of the Civil Service it was not possible to recruit additional staff to deal with the huge increase in the intake of work with the result that since 1983 there have been long delays in processing applications.
At the beginning of 1985 there was an arrear of 18,754 applications. By the end of October 1985 the arrear had been reduced to 14,399 applications, a reduction of 4,355 or 23.2 per cent. The reduction is mainly attributable to (a) a drop of 73.5 per cent in the intake of applications in 1985 compared with 1984 and (b) the use of modern technology in the processing of the applications. On the basis of the output now being achieved average delays are one year and three years in consent and arbitration cases respectively.