asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the precise procedure adopted by the Land Registry in furtherance of the issue of a land certificate (details supplied) from the date of receipt to the date of requisition to the date upon which the certificate issues; the number of officials through whose hands the certificate passes in the course of such issue; the average time scale involved; the cost of such application; and if he is satisfied with such procedure employed at present.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Issue of Land Certificates.
36.
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that on receipt of an application for a land certificate the application is forwarded to the records section for processing. That section requisitions the relevant folio from the filing section. On receipt of the folio the application proceeds as follows.
Particulars of the application are checked. If found not to be in order a query is raised with the applicant. If the application is found to be in order details are entered in a record book. The land certificate is then associated with a photocopy of the relevant folio and impressed with the official seal. The particulars of the issue of the certificate are entered in the original folio and the certificate is then checked, signed and issued. If, however, the folio is unavailable — as it can be if in use in relation to another, prior, application — this procedure must await until the folio becomes available.
I am also informed that an application for a land certificate is handled by four officials in the records section of the registry and that the average time taken to issue a certificate is at present four months where the application is in order and the folio is available. In cases where queries have to be raised and the folio is unavailable the average delay is at present of the order of six months.
As regards the cost to the applicant, the fee for a land certificate is £10 in accordance with the Land Registration Fees Order, 1983.
The administrative procedures to be followed in the registry are a matter for the statutory discretion of the Registrar of Titles. I am informed that these procedures are regarded as appropriate. However, I am not satisfied with the time scale involved in the issue of such certificates. The delay involved is due partly to the pressure of work generally and to the shortage of staff in the Land Registry. I have already undertaken a full review of the operations of the registry with a view to improving the service to the public. As part of this exercise my Department is having discussions with the Department of Finance concerning the urgent provision of additional staff for the Land Registry.
37.
asked the Minister for Justice when it is expected a land certificate will issue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois which certificate was bespoken on 13 December 1988.
I am informed by the Registrar of Titles that the land certificate issued in the ordinary way on 14 July 1989.