2002 No. 138 (C. 13)
FAMILY LAW
The Family Law (2001 Act) (Commencement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002
Made 8th April 2002

The Department of Finance and Personnel in exercise of the powers conferred on it by section 4 of the Family Law Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:
2001 c. 12 (N.I.)

1 Citation
This Order may be cited as the Family Law (2001 Act) (Commencement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2002.

Appointed day
2 1 The appointed day for the coming into operation of the provisions of the Family Law Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 mentioned in paragraph (2) is 8th April 2002.
2 These provisions are section 3(1), (4), (7) and (8) for the purpose of making regulations under Article 10 of the Family Law Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1977.
S.I.1977/1250 (N.I. 17)
3 The appointed day for the coming into operation of the remaining sections of the Family Law Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (including section 3 in so far as not already in operation) is 15th April 2002.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance and Personnel on 8th April 2002.
G. W. Johnston A Senior Officer of the Department of Finance and Personnel

(This note is not part of the Order.)
This Order provides that section 3 of the Family Law Act (Northern Ireland) 2001 (“the Act”) comes into operation on the 8th April for the purpose of enabling the Lord Chancellor to exercise regulation making powers under Article 10 of the Family Law Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1977. This regulation making power makes provision for the taking and testing of bodily samples in civil proceedings where a child’s parentage is in dispute.
Article 3 makes provision for the coming into operation of the Act (in so far as not already in operation) on 15th April 2002, to coincide with the commencement of sections 65 and 66 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 which also makes provision in relation to declarations of parentage.