Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Land Registry.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

539 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the fee income of the Land Registry over each of the past three years; if it operates on a self financing basis; if an application for an increase in staffing levels was made by the registrar; if so, when this application was made; and the reason authorisation for an increase in staffing is required. [21830/99]

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

The fee income received by the Land Registry during the last three years was as follows: 1996, IR£16,463,544; 1997, IR£18,230,533 and 1998 IR£19,110,517. The total fee receipts of the Land Registry and the Registry of Deeds have for some years now exceeded the amount expended by the registries, although that expenditure does not cover the costs of items such as rent and superannuation which are met centrally.

An application for an increase in staffing levels was made by the registrar in April 1998 and has been the subject of ongoing discussions with the Department of Finance. The reason for seeking this authorisation for an increase in staffing levels was to cater for the growth in the number of dealings lodged with the registries. A further request for additional staffing in the context of the Government's decision of December 1998 to convert the registries to commercial semi-state status was submitted to the Department of Finance in July 1999. This further request reflected core staffing requirements in the areas of human resource management, finance and internal audit. The request for all the additional staff is currently under consideration by the Department of Finance and I expect to have a decision shortly.