People often ask for the title deeds to an Irish property when what they need is the folio. The two terms describe different systems, and knowing which applies saves time and money.
Deeds belong to the older system
Historically, ownership of Irish property was proven by a bundle of paper deeds passed from seller to buyer at each sale. The Registry of Deeds, established in 1707, recorded these documents. Under that system, the deeds themselves were the evidence of ownership.
The folio replaced the bundle
For registered land, which now covers most of the country, the folio replaces the bundle of deeds entirely. The state guarantees the register, so the folio is conclusive evidence of ownership on its own. Once land is registered, the old deeds lose their legal force as proof of title, although they can still be interesting historically.
What people usually need
When someone says they need the deeds to a registered Irish property, in almost every practical case what they need is a copy of the folio, sometimes with the registry map. That covers proving ownership, checking burdens such as rights of way, confirming boundaries and general due diligence before a purchase or a boundary discussion with a neighbour.
Certified and plain copies
A plain copy of the folio, delivered as a PDF, is sufficient for information purposes. Where a document is needed for legal or official use, a certified copy of the folio is the appropriate format, and it can be ordered with or without the map. Our guide to choosing between a certified copy and a PDF covers this in more detail.