Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 May 1998

Vol. 491 No. 1

Written Answers. - Counties Laois and Offaly.

Charles Flanagan

Question:

102 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if, in relation to the use by the Land Registry, Registry of Deeds and any other agency that may in the ordinary course of business refer to Counties Laois and Offaly as Queens County and Kings County, his Department considers these designations to be outdated and somewhat inappropriate; if he will clarify that these agencies may officially refer in documents and otherwise to the aforementioned counties as County Laois and County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11559/98]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue)

The Registrar of Titles and Deeds has informed me that the position in relation to the use of these terms in the Land Registry and Registry of Deeds is as follows:

The Registry of Deeds accepts deeds and memorials for registration. The deeds are returned to the applicant and the memorials are filed in the Registry. Abstracts of particulars are extracted from the memorials and these form the records of the Registry of Deeds for searching purposes. It is a matter for the applicant to determine whether or not the Counties Laois and Offaly are referred to as Laois and Offaly or Queens and Kings in the deeds and memorials. All abstracts created since 1970 are computerised and the County references filed on the computerised abstracts refer to Laois and Offaly. Historical abstract books which date back to 1708 refer to Queens and Kings.

Land Registry maps are supplied by the Ordnance Survey. Current maps refer to Laois and Offaly as do the Townland Index books. Older maps and archived maps dating back to 1892 may refer to Queens or Kings.

Current Land Registry folios refer to Laois and Offaly; however, older folios dating back to 1892 refer to Queens and Kings. The practise of describing Laois and Offaly as such on folios has been applied to all new folios created for the past number of months.