2.Purpose of the instrument
2.1.The Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 2009 amends the Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (1977 No. 1247 (N.I. 14)) (“the principal Order”) to create an additional criterion making community halls benefiting from specified rates exemption eligible to claim compensation for criminal damage without the need to satisfy the existing criteria of Article 5 of the principal Order, i.e. without the need to prove that the damage was caused by three or more persons, or by a person acting on behalf of or in connection with an unlawful association. The Government believes that it is right that additional steps are taken to support local communities’ facilities by creating this additional eligibility criterion to be added to the statutory criminal damage compensation scheme. Community halls not eligible to claim compensation under the new criterion are still eligible to claim if they satisfy the existing criteria of Article 5 of the principal Order.