Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2015
439. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the merging of the Valuation Office with Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Property Registration Authority is going ahead; if a regional office will remain in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29265/15]
View answer451. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland are merging; and the current status of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28532/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 451 together.
The proposed merger of the Property Registration Authority (PRA), Valuation Office (VO) and Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSI) has been approved under the Agency Rationalisation Programme. The new body is to be named Táilte Éireann and will have responsibility for several important functions, including:
- the State property registration system;
- the State mapping and surveying infrastructure;
- the State property valuation service;
- the development and maintenance of State geospatial information;
- dealing with applications for purchase of ground rents;
- and ensuring the proper functioning of the Valuation Tribunal.
The General Scheme of the Tailte Éireann Bill providing for the merger was published on 22 January 2015 and has been forwarded to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel for formal drafting. The bill was the subject of a pre legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality on 18 February 2015.
Two of the organisations involved in the merger, namely Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Property Registration Authority, have a number of offices outside of Dublin at present. Any proposals relating to the offices of the merged organisation would, in the first instance, be a matter for the new body itself following its establishment.
