(This note is not part of the Order)
Section 78 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (“the Act”) contains provision relating to Local Authority Meetings.
Section 89(1) provides for the Act to expire at the end of the period of 2 years beginning with the day on which it was passed (25th March 2020). This is subject to limited exceptions. Section 90(2) allows expiring provisions to be extended and section 90(3) limits extensions to not more than 6 months.
The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Local Authority Meetings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (S.R. 2022 No. 108) extended the expiry date of section 78 of the Act to 24th September 2022. The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Local Authority Meetings) (No 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (S.R. 2022 No. 226) extended the expiry date of section 78 of the Act to 24th March 2023, however, that Order was not approved by the Assembly so the Department made the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Extension of Provisions Relating to Local Authority Meetings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 (S.R. 2023 No. 48) to ensure that section 78 of the Act was extended to 24th March 2023.
The Department makes this Order to extend the expiry date of section 78 of the Act to 24th September 2023.