Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 May 1930

Vol. 35 No. 1

Public Business. - Vote No. 36—Land Registry and Registry of Deeds.

Minister for Justice (Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney)

I move:—

Go ndeontar suim ná raghaidh thar £33,292 chun slánuithe na suime is gá chun íoctha an Mhuirir a thiocfidh chun bheith iníoctha i rith na bliana dar críoch an 31adh lá de Mhárta, 1931, chun Tuarastail agus Costaisí Oifig Chlárathachta na Talmhan agus Oifig Chlárathachta na nDintiúirí.

That a sum not exceeding £33,292 be granted to complete the sum necessary to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1931, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Land Registry and of the Registry of Deeds.

Deputies will notice that the Vote here is substantially the same as for last year, though in the Land Registry there is a slight increase, which is due to the salaries incrementing from year to year until the holders of office reach the maximum scale. It is also due to the fact that a sum of £500 appears under the heading of reorganisation in the Registry of Deeds. In the Land Registry we have had to increase the number of the staff in order to cope with a greater amount of work.

Mr. Esmonde

It is a rather large sum that we are asked to vote, and I was wondering whether the members of the public, who take advantage of this service, could not be persuaded to pay a certain sum to defray expenses. There is no appropriation-in-aid in the case of the Land Registry and the Registry of Deeds. The service is availed of by a very large section of the public. Perhaps in future years, as in the case of other votes, there might possibly be some small charge put on those who benefit by the service in order to decrease the charge on the taxpayer.

Mr. Fahy

I would like to ask the Minister whether the registers have all been brought up to date in the Registry of Deeds. There were some arrears some time ago to be made up and I would like to know whether that has been done.

Mr. Fitzgerald-Kenney

If Deputy Esmonde looks at Page 128 of the Estimates he will see the sums of money received from persons who utilise this service. In regard to Deputy Fahy's point I may say that I have had no complaints on the matter.

Mr. Esmonde

I suggest that the amount in the Estimate might be put down as an appropriation-in-aid, so as to make it clear that this particular service does not cost the taxpayer as much as appears on the Estimate.

Vote put and agreed to.