I 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.