Gerard P. Craughwell demands urgent reform of conveyancing system
Gerard P. Craughwell addressed the House on failures in the conveyancing system, arguing it is slowing home sales and costing families money. He called for decisive legislative reform, including a seller's legal pack and an updated bill brought forward within the lifetime of the government.
Evidence of systemic failure
The speaker cited four separate surveys from 2020 to 2024 showing professionals frustrated, buyers stressed, sales collapsing, and families losing thousands of euros. He said one third of properties coming to market have legal issues that should have been resolved beforehand and outlined common delays - ten weeks from sale agreed to contract signing and a further six weeks to close - with mortgage offers expiring and buyers paying for work on homes that were not sale ready.
Seller's legal pack proposal
He presented the seller's legal pack as a practical, proven solution that front loads legal work so only genuinely saleable properties reach the market. According to the speech, the pack would cut delays, reduce failed sales, protect buyers from unnecessary costs, and give sellers clarity and confidence, with the UK experience cited as evidence it works.
Requests to government and legislative demands
The motion urged the government to move beyond consideration and to address issues raised in scrutiny, engage seriously with IPAV and the Law Society, and bring forward an updated bill within the lifetime of the government. He said that if a single bill cannot deliver all benefits then multiple bills should be enacted, arguing the time for voluntary measures is over.
Impact on buyers and sellers
The speaker framed reform as a clear path to a faster, fairer, more transparent conveyancing process so that the system does not remain an obstacle for people trying to buy homes. He emphasised that public opinion and professional bodies support change and that political action is the missing piece.
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Thank you, Cahill. Look, Minister, you're welcome to the House. I think this is the first time I've addressed you since your elevation, so congratulations on that. Minister, we often speak in this House about the housing crisis, but today we're dealing with a part of that crisis that rarely makes headlines, yet it affects every single person trying to buy or sell a home in this country. Our conveyancing system is not just slow, it is fundamentally failing people it is supposed to serve. The evidence is not vague or anecdotal, it's overwhelming. Four separate surveys from 2020 to 2024 tell the same story. Professionals are frustrated, buyers are stressed, sales are collapsing, and families are losing thousands of euros to absolutely no fault of their own. This is not a functioning system, this is a system in need of urgent reform. One third of properties going to the market have legal issues that should have been resolved beforehand. Ten weeks from sale agreed to contract signing, six more weeks to close, mortgage office expiring, people paying for surveys, valuations, and legal work on homes that were never sale ready in the first place. This is not just inefficient, it's unfair. The seller's legal pack is a practical proven solution. It front loads the legal work so that only genuinely saleable properties reach the market. It cuts delays, it reduces the number of failed sales. It protects buyers from unnecessary costs, and it gives sellers clarity and confidence. This is not theory, the UK experience shows it works. And let us be clear, the public want this, the professionals want this, the evidence supports this. The only missing piece is political action. That's why this motion calls on the government to do more than simply consider reform. It calls on the government to address the issues raised in scrutiny, to engage seriously with the IPAV and the Law Society, and bring forward an updated bill within the lifetime of this government. If one bill cannot deliver all the benefits, then let's have multiple bills. What matters is that we deliver change. Colleagues, people are trying to buy homes in a country to face obstacles. The conveyancing system should not be one of them. We have a clear path to a faster, fairer, more transparent process. The time for voluntary measures is over. The time for decisive legislative action is here and now. Go raibh maith agus colleagues. Thank you. Go raibh maith agus colleagues.
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