I understand the intention of this amendment is that Tailte Éireann would commission a report to explore the feasibility of creating a register for land transactions. While I appreciate the objective of the Senator’s amendment, I will mention a number of reasons I am not disposed to accept this proposal. As part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process for this Bill, the joint committee recommended that Tailte Éireann be given as one of its statutory functions the responsibility for maintaining a publicly accessible and searchable electronic register of land transactions that would include the price, location, size, zoning, date of sale and ownership details. This new register would operate on a similar basis to the existing residential property price register. With regard to data that are currently available on residential property sales prices, the PRA maintains the national land register, as Tailte Éireann will do on its establishment. The register is electronic, publicly accessible and searchable by anyone online at landdirect.ie.
A considerable amount of information is available. Such results give a description of the property, the date of registration, details of the owner and any burdens relating to the property, such as a mortgage or a right of way. Associated spatial data are also available. However, under current land registration legislation rules the national land register does not record property price. The property price register that is maintained by the PSRA, which is currently under the remit of the Department of Justice, holds information on residential properties by description only and includes price and date of sale. There is no associated spatial aspect.
The Civil Service Renewal 2030 programme includes the ambition "to develop and deliver trusted, evidence- and insights-informed public policy which advances the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of Ireland". Improved data quality, analysis and sharing can improve the evidence base for policy development and can drive more seamless delivery.
The pathways in Housing for All address challenges in our housing system. However, these do not exist in isolation but sit in a wider context. Under Housing for All, the Government's housing plan to 2030, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is committed to evidence-based policy development and will continue to improve data availability and analysis. The Government recently published its first annual update of the plan's actions, which sets out how the Government is responding to changed circumstances and ensuring that focus remains on delivery. Under the updated action 24.2 of Housing for All, the Government has committed to developing a national zoned housing land register, based on local authority development plans. This will build on the work that is under way for the introduction of the residential zoned land tax, which will be completed by quarter 1 of 2024.
We are also progressing proposals for the introduction of land value sharing measures in accordance with objective 8.1 of Housing for All. An updated general scheme of the land value sharing and urban development zones Bill was recently brought to the Government. This will be submitted for pre-legislative scrutiny to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage in early 2023.
As mentioned previously, there is already scope under the legislation for the Minister to call for reports. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to legislate for a specific report such as the report proposed here. The legislation provides that the board of Tailte Éireann will have the statutory power to guide generally the strategic direction of Tailte Éireann and to advise or make recommendations having regard to Government policy. I should point out that the Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006 provides for the maintenance of a register of deeds and for the information to be contained within it. I am not convinced that the specific requirements proposed are necessary. Therefore, while I note the benefits of evidence to support policy development, as in the Senator’s proposal, the appropriate time for considering these matters is following the establishment of Tailte Éireann and the appointment of the board.
