The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (c. 3) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the devolution of policing and justice.
Background
editAccording to the Guardian the devolution of policing and justice functions was the "final piece in the jigsaw" in relation to Northern Ireland devolution.[1]
Legislative passage
editThe bill was passed by the House of Commons in one day.[2]
Provisions
editIt makes provision preparatory to the intended devolution of "policing and justice" to the Northern Ireland Assembly.[3][4]
Commencement
editThe whole act has been brought into force.[5]
Sections 1 and 3(2) and 4 and 5 came into force on 12 March 2009.[6]
Paragraphs 35(1) and (3) of schedule 4, so far as they relate to the President or other member of the Charity Tribunal for Northern Ireland, and section 2(3), so far as it relates to those provisions, came into force on 26 September 2009.[7]
The following provisions came into force on 12 April 2010:[8]
- Section 2, so far as not already in force
- Section 3(1)
- Schedules 2 and 3
- Schedule 4, so far as not already in force
- Schedules 5 and 6
Further developments
editThe act was subsequently followed by the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010.[9]
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- Austen Morgan. "Northern Ireland Act 2009". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2009. Sweet & Maxwell. Thomson Reuters. 2010. Volume 1. Chapter 3. pp 3-1 to 3-33.
- "Northern Ireland Act 2009". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition. LexisNexis. Current Statutes Service. p 123 et seq.
- Derek Birrell. Comparing Devolved Governance. Palgrave Macmillan. 2012. pp 12, 16 & 49.
- "The Devolution of Policing and Criminal Justice" (2011) 17 European Public Law 197 HeinOnline
- ↑ Watt, Nicholas; Quinn, Ben (5 February 2010). "Late-night DUP deal gives hope for Northern Ireland peace". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ "Yesterday in parliament". The Guardian. 5 March 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ Explanatory notes, paragraphs 3 and 4
- ↑ "Yesterday in parliament". The Guardian. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ See this explanatory note
- ↑ The Northern Ireland Act 2009, section 5(6) (providing for commencement on the date on which the Act was passed) as read with subsection (7); and see the explanatory note here
- ↑ The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (Commencement No.1) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2466 (C.102)), article 2
- ↑ The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (Commencement No.2) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/812 (C.54)), article 2; and see the explanatory note to that Order.
- ↑ "Timeline: Devolution of policing and justice". BBC News. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
External links
edit- Text of the Northern Ireland Act 2009 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Text of the Northern Ireland Act 2009 as originally enacted or made within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.
- Explanatory notes to the Northern Ireland Act 2009.