Regulations made by the Department of Health and laid before the Assembly under section 25Q (Emergency procedure) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 1967, for approval of the Assembly before the expiration of 28 days beginning with the day on which they are made.
2021 No. 197
Public Health

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Made
Laid before the Assembly
Coming into operation in accordance with regulation 1(2)
The Department of Health1, makes the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 25C(1), (3)(c), (4)(d) and 25F(2) of the Public Health Act (Northern Ireland) 19672.

These Regulations are made in response to the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health considers that the restrictions and requirements imposed by these Regulations are proportionate to what they seek to achieve, which is a public health response to that threat.

In accordance with section 25Q of that Act the Department of Health is of the opinion that, by reason of urgency, it is necessary to make these Regulations without a draft having been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.

(1)

These Regulations may be cited as the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021.

(2)

These Regulations shall come into operation on 2nd July 2021.

Amendment of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

2.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 20213 are amended in accordance with these Regulations.

3.

For regulation 9(3) substitute—

“(3)

(a)

A person responsible for organising or operating an outdoor gathering must, if the event consists or is expected to consist of more than 30 persons, fulfil the conditions in paragraph (5).

(b)

If an outdoor event is attended by spectators, the spectators shall be considered as a gathering and the event participants shall be considered as a separate gathering for the purpose of this regulation.”.

4.

In regulation 9(4), for “Paragraph (3) does not apply” substitute “Paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply”.

5.

Omit regulation 11(3).

6.

In regulation 11(4) omit “in accordance with paragraph (3)”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Health at 6.00 pm on 1st July 2021

(L.S.)
Robin Swann
Minister of Health
EXPLANATORY NOTE
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 by removing the limit on persons who may participate in an outdoor gathering including a sporting event and by making a technical change to the regulation governing gatherings.

No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations.