The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (c. 3) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom relating to the devolution of policing and justice.

Background According to the Guardian the devolution of policing and justice functions was the "final piece in the jigsaw" in relation to Northern Ireland devolution.

Legislative passage The bill was passed by the House of Commons in one day.

Provisions It makes provision preparatory to the intended devolution of "policing and justice" to the Northern Ireland Assembly.Explanatory notes, paragraphs 3 and 4

Commencement The whole act has been brought into force.See this explanatory note

Sections 1 and 3(2) and 4 and 5 came into force on 12 March 2009.The Northern Ireland Act 2009, section 5(6) (providing for commencement on the date on which the Act was passed) as read with subsection (7); and see the explanatory note here

Paragraphs 35(1) and (3) of schedule 4, so far as they relate to the President or other member of the Charity Tribunal for Northern Ireland, and section 2(3), so far as it relates to those provisions, came into force on 26 September 2009.The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (Commencement No.1) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2466 (C.102)), article 2

The following provisions came into force on 12 April 2010:The Northern Ireland Act 2009 (Commencement No.2) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/812 (C.54)), article 2; and see the explanatory note to that Order. Section 2, so far as not already in force Section 3(1) Schedules 2 and 3 Schedule 4, so far as not already in force Schedules 5 and 6

Further developments The act was subsequently followed by the Department of Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2010.

See also Northern Ireland Act

Notes

References Austen Morgan. "Northern Ireland Act 2009". Current Law Statutes Annotated 2009. Sweet & Maxwell. Thomson Reuters. 2010. Volume 1. Chapter 3. pp 3-1 to 3-33. "Northern Ireland Act 2009". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition. LexisNexis. Current Statutes Service. p 123 et seq. Derek Birrell. Comparing Devolved Governance. Palgrave Macmillan. 2012. pp 12, 16 & 49. "The Devolution of Policing and Criminal Justice" (2011) 17 European Public Law 197 HeinOnline

External links

Explanatory notes to the Northern Ireland Act 2009.