Commentary on Sections
A commentary on the provisions of the Act follows below. Comments are not given where the wording is self-explanatory.
Section 1: Functions of RBSO: support services
This section extends the support service authority conferred at section 15 of the Reform Act to include NISCC, NIPEC and NIFRS. This section also enables the BSO to provide support services for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and also defines more accurately the counter-fraud support service provided by the BSO.
Section 2: Other functions of RBSO
This section allows the BSO to administer health and social care functions on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. This enables the BSO to exercise new functions on behalf of the Department. At present, the BSO is only able to exercise departmental functions that were exercisable by the Central Services Agency at its dissolution.
Section 3: Minor amendments
This section makes a number of minor amendments which enable the Department to prescribe that the Chair of the Regional Board, the Regional Agency and the BSO must satisfy prescribed conditions.
Schedule
This Schedule makes amendments that should have originally been included in Schedule 6 to the Reform Act.