Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Following the consultation on the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006 the Order was made at Privy Council on 14 February 2006. The Order strengthens and extends the coverage of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, increasing the scope of legislation to include more people with disabilities. For example, people diagnosed with cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis (MS) but not yet showing signs of their illness will now be protected by disability legislation for the first time. People with mental ill health will no longer have to prove their condition is “clinically well-recognised”.

The new laws also provide extra protection for disabled people in other areas such as private clubs and in discriminatory job advertisements. Also disabled people living in rented premises will now find it easier to have their homes adapted to meet their needs.

Transport will become more accessible to disabled people as all trains will have to be fully accessible by 2020. The legislation also introduces an important provision that will enable lifting of the transport exemption from Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 for land-based public transport, vehicle hire, breakdown services and leisure and tourism transport vehicles.

The Order also extends current legislation to bring the functions of public authorities within the scope of disability legislation for the first time and imposes a new duty on them to promote positive attitudes towards disabled people and encourage their participation in public life. The extension of the Act in this way will impose further duties on the public sector not to discriminate against disabled people across the whole range of its public activities.

We are currently in the process of implementing the Disability Discrimination Order

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