The average waiting time for completion of certain land registry transactions is well over a year in some parts of the State, due to staff shortages and a huge increase in the number of land and property deals in recent years.
The number of staff in the Property Registration Authority (PRA), which replaced the old Land Registry and Registry of Deeds Office last November, has not increased in the last five years, despite the fact that the number of land dealings has risen by more than 100 per cent in that period.
The majority of land transfers in the State, including most land for housing, farming, or road or infrastructural development, must go through the PRA. The number of land registry dealings was 98,000 in 1999 but it jumped to more than 200,000 last year.
Figures released by Minister for Justice Michael McDowell show that Mayo has the highest average waiting time for completion of land registry dealings, at 17.3 months. This is followed by Cavan at 14.4 months and Kilkenny at 13.9 months.
The county with the lowest average waiting time is Waterford at 3.4 months, followed by Cork at four months and Wicklow at 4.4 months.
Mr McDowell told Fine Gael TD Denis Naughten, in a written Dáil question, that the total number of dealings on hand in the PRA at the end of January was 175,790. Of this figure, 35,364 were the subject of queries and cannot be proceeded with until a satisfactory reply is received. The number of "live" cases was 140,426, said Mr McDowell.
The average waiting time was calculated by dividing the number of dealings in each county by the average number completed every month during 2006 for that county.
Mr McDowell said the length of time taken to complete cases varied depending on a number of factors, including the complexity of the case, investigation of title requirements, mapping requirements and the level of resources available.
A source in the PRA told The Irish Times there were many reasons for delays, but said staffing levels was a major issue. Of the 140,426 "live cases" in the system, 70 per cent do not require a mapping element - and of that 70 per cent, 80 per cent are dealt with in 10 days. But that still leaves thousands of dealings not completed for months around the State.
Mr Naughten said yesterday that land registry delays were one of the biggest problems TDs encountered on a daily basis.
He said farmers in particular were encountering problems in selling sites or land, and there had been cases where compensation for compulsory purchase orders of land for road development were delayed as the title was not sorted out for months or years.
He called for increased staff in PRA offices to speed up the process. "Delays have caused a lot of stress for people who are trying to sell land or to buy land," he told The Irish Times.
A spokeswoman for the Minister said it was intended that the establishment of the PRA to replace the old Land Registry Office would give a new impetus and direction to modernising the process, and would result in a speedier service.
The Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2006 is also aimed at modernising and streamlining land and conveyancing laws. The Bill is the single-most comprehensive and far-reaching reform of the law in this area since the foundation of the State.
The Bill was presented in the Seanad late last year and is expected to be passed through the Dáil and enacted before the summer.