Taoiseach establishes group to reduce costly bureaucratic delays for home buyers
- Published on: 24 September 2024
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
Key departments and bodies come together to deliver target of 8-week turnaround time in conveyancing and probate
The Taoiseach today welcomed the first meeting of the Housing for All Conveyancing and Probate Implementation Group.
The Implementation Group has been established to implement the recommendations of the Report of the Expert Group on Conveyancing and Probate, published in July.
These recommendations aim to reduce delays and/or costs in these processes, moving towards the overall maximum target of 8 weeks from acceptance to closure for a conveyancing transaction and for the execution of a probate transaction. The objective is to make conveyancing and probate more efficient for the consumer and for users of these processes overall.
The Group has an independent Chair, Dr. Conan McKenna, alongside key stakeholders (see notes to editors section for full membership) as well as relevant Government departments, agencies and statutory bodies.
This work will contribute to Housing for All by maximising the available housing stock and avoiding having homes lying empty due to being caught up in lengthy and inefficient bureaucratic processes.
Commenting on the establishment of the Implementation Group, Taoiseach Simon Harris said:
“As many of our citizens will be aware from first-hand experience, the conveyancing and probate processes have historically been both long and complex. Home buyers need not to be bogged down in costly bureaucratic delays. The Report has set out a path to improve this experience for people. Achieving the national target of 8 weeks will require a continued strong focus and a truly collaborative effort across a broad range of stakeholders – state and professional bodies. That is why this implementation group is so important. Having all of these key players working together presents a unique opportunity to make significant improvements, and I look forward to seeing the progress in the coming months.”
Notes to Editors
Report of Expert Group on Conveyancing and Probate
Implementation Group Membership
• Banking and Payments Federation Ireland
• Competition and Consumer Protection Commission
• Courts Service
• Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers
• Legal Services Regulatory Authority
• Law Society of Ireland
• Property Services Regulatory Authority
• Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland
• Tailte Éireann
• Department of the Taoiseach
• Department of Justice
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage