asked the Minister for Justice the proposals he has to improve the service being given to the public by the Land Registry Office.

16.

asked the Minister for Justice the current position regarding outstanding applications for examination in the Land Registry; the number of outstanding dealings presently being considered by the Land Registry; the average delay in disposing of Land Registry dealings; and the proposals he has to provide the Land Registry with sufficient staff and technology to expedite the backlog of dealings with the Land Registry to date.

(Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 and 16 together.

The Land Registry have been radically re-organised in recent years and, within the constraints imposed by the embargo on public service posts, the efficiency of the registry is under constant review.

The registry receive about 120,000 applications annually for land certificates, copy maps, copy folios and instruments and these are supplied within four to six working days on average. About 90,000 applications for registration of title are lodged annually; of these roughly 95 per cent are completed within about three months on average. The remaining 5 per cent consist of complex cases such as first registration applications or applications for establishment of title by possession. Those cases take about 15 months on average to complete. Detailed examination of title and extensive correspondence are normally involved as well as the issue of statutory notices to interested parties, which usually gives rise to further correspondence.

The numbers of outstanding applications on 31 January 1984 were as follows: Land certificates, copy maps, copy folios and instruments, 2,570; Registration of transactions affecting land already registered 24,065; First registration, including establishment of title acquired by possession 6,175.

Proposals for a radical reorganisation of the processing of applications for first registration, including establishment of title acquired by possession — the only area in which there is a problem — have been prepared for some time but because of the embargo on public service posts they cannot be implemented at present. In the meantime all that can be done by the Land Registry to speed up the processing of the applications under the existing system is being done.

In so far as technology is concerned, a programme of computerising the Land Registry folios commenced in December 1982. It was decided to start with Dublin because there were no duplicate folios available for Dublin as there are in the local offices for the other 25 counties. It is expected that all the Dublin folios will be computerised by mid-1985 and the programme will then be extended to other areas of the country.

I welcome the Minister's assurances that the procedures will be updated but could he put a figure on the number of delays caused because of insufficient information being supplied? Has there been any communication between his Department and other bodies who have an input into the Land Registry with a view to making the supplying of information more efficient?

(Limerick East): It depends on which activity of the Land Registry is being discussed. As I said, about 120,000 applications for copy maps, land certificates, copy folios and so on are received yearly and they can be supplied within four to six working days. About 90,000 applications for registration of title are lodged annually and roughly 95 per cent are completed within three months on average. The remaining 5 per cent of complex cases of first registration are causing difficulties and sometimes they take on average 15 months to complete. Extensive correspondence is involved and letters have to be written frequently. That is why it can take up to 15 months to complete the work.