The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Goods, facilities or services

5.—(1) It is unlawful for any person concerned with the provision (for payment or not) of goods, facilities or services to the public or a section of the public to discriminate against a person who seeks to obtain or use those goods, facilities or services —

(a) by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with any of them; or

(b) by refusing or deliberately omitting to provide him with goods, facilities or services of the same quality, in the same manner and on the same terms as are normal in his case in relation to other members of the public or (where the person seeking belongs to a section of the public) to other members of that section.

(2) It is unlawful for any person concerned with the provision of goods, facilities or services as mentioned in paragraph (1), in relation to such provision, to subject to harassment —

(a) a person who seeks to obtain or use those goods, facilities or services; or

(b) a person to whom he provides those goods, facilities and services.

(3) The following are examples of the facilities and services mentioned in paragraph (1) —

(a) access to and use of any place which members of the public are permitted to enter;

(b) accommodation in a hotel, boarding house, or similar establishment;

(c) facilities by way of banking or insurance or for grants, loans, credit or finance;

(d) facilities for education;

(e) facilities for entertainment, recreation, or refreshment;

(f) facilities for transport or travel;

(g) the services of any profession or trader, or any local or other public authority.

(4) Nothing in these Regulations shall render unlawful any act done in affording persons of a particular sexual orientation access to goods, facilities or services to meet the specific and justified needs of persons of that group in regard to their education, welfare or any ancillary benefits.