Article 9 of the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 is amended in accordance with subsections (2) and (3).

In paragraph (3) for “of justification or fair comment or” substitute “under section 1 or 2 of the Defamation Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 which is available to him or any defence”.

In paragraph (5) for “the defence of justification” substitute “a defence under section 1 of the Defamation Act (Northern Ireland) 2022”.

Nothing in section 10 affects any cause of action accrued before the commencement of the section in question.

Nothing in sections 1 to 5 has effect in relation to an action for defamation if the cause of action accrued before the commencement of the section in question.

Nothing in section 6 or 7 has effect in relation to an action for defamation begun before the commencement of the section in question.

In determining for the purposes of subsection (7)(a) of section 2 whether a person would have a defence under section 3 to any action for defamation, the operation of subsection (5) of this section is to be ignored.