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The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995
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Changes to legislation:
The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, Section 169 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 25 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Article 169:
- art. 45(2(e) words repealed by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 7(2A)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(2)
- art. 7(2B)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(3)
- art. 10(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(b)
- art. 10(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(c)
- art. 14A?-14F and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(1)
- art. 14A(7) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(6)
- art. 14C(1)(b) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(a)
- art. 14C(3)(4) excluded by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(b)
- art. 18(6)-(6C) substituted for art. 18(6) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 121(1)
- art. 22(3)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 29
- art. 26(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(1)
- art. 26A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 123
- art. 27(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(3)
- art. 27(8)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(2)(b)
- art. 27(9A)-(9D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 124
- art. 28(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(4)
- art. 28A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 126
- art. 28B inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 127
- art. 33(9) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 31(c)
- art. 34E(1)(d) and word inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(a)(iii)
- art. 34E(3)(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(b)
- art. 34F(1)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(a)(i)
- art. 34F(1A)-(1D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(b)
- art. 34G inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 129
- art. 34AA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(1)
- art. 34DA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(2)
- art. 34DB 34DC inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(3)
- art. 35(1)-(1B) substituted for art. 35(1) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(a)
- art. 35(5)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(c)
- art. 35D(1)(aa)(ab) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(4)
- art. 35D(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(1)
- art. 45(2)(e)(i)(ii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(a)
- art. 45(2)(f)(i)-(iii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(b)
- art. 45(3A)-(3C) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(4)
- art. 45(4A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(6)
- art. 45(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(7)
- art. 45A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 132
- art. 50A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 134(1)
- art. 53(1)(ba) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 38(b)
- art. 53(6A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(3)
- art. 53(8)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(4)
- art. 57(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(3)
- art. 60(6)(ha) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 138
- art. 107(7)(c) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 139(4)
- art. 108(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(3)
- art. 108(3)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(4)(c)
- art. 112A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 141
- art. 159(1)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(4)(b)
- art. 165(2)(k) inserted by 2011 c. 24 (N.I.) s. 95(3)
- art. 170(2)-(9A) modified by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 105(3)
- art. 170(9A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 142
- art. 179(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 42
- art. 183(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(8)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):
- art. 45(2(e) words repealed by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 5
- art. 7(2A)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(2)
- art. 7(2B)(ba) substituted for word by 2009 c. 24 Sch. 6 para. 26(3)
- art. 10(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(b)
- art. 10(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 26(c)
- art. 14A?-14F and cross-heading inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(1)
- art. 14A(7) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(6)
- art. 14C(1)(b) applied (with modifications) for specified purposes by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(a)
- art. 14C(3)(4) excluded by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 26(7)(b)
- art. 18(6)-(6C) substituted for art. 18(6) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 121(1)
- art. 22(3)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 29
- art. 26(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(1)
- art. 26A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 123
- art. 27(7A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(3)
- art. 27(8)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 122(2)(b)
- art. 27(9A)-(9D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 124
- art. 28(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 125(4)
- art. 28A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 126
- art. 28B inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 127
- art. 33(9) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 31(c)
- art. 34E(1)(d) and word inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(a)(iii)
- art. 34E(3)(4) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 32(b)
- art. 34F(1)(aa) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(a)(i)
- art. 34F(1A)-(1D) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 33(b)
- art. 34G inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 129
- art. 34AA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(1)
- art. 34DA inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(2)
- art. 34DB 34DC inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(3)
- art. 35(1)-(1B) substituted for art. 35(1) by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(a)
- art. 35(5)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 34(c)
- art. 35D(1)(aa)(ab) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 128(4)
- art. 35D(1A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(1)
- art. 45(2)(e)(i)(ii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(a)
- art. 45(2)(f)(i)-(iii) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 131(b)
- art. 45(3A)-(3C) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(4)
- art. 45(4A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(6)
- art. 45(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(7)
- art. 45A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 132
- art. 50A?? inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 134(1)
- art. 53(1)(ba) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 38(b)
- art. 53(6A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(3)
- art. 53(8)(za) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 135(4)
- art. 57(3A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(3)
- art. 60(6)(ha) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 138
- art. 107(7)(c) added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 139(4)
- art. 108(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(3)
- art. 108(3)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 140(4)(c)
- art. 112A inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 141
- art. 159(1)(c) and word added by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 119(4)(b)
- art. 165(2)(k) inserted by 2011 c. 24 (N.I.) s. 95(3)
- art. 170(2)-(9A) modified by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 105(3)
- art. 170(9A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 142
- art. 179(5A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) Sch. 3 para. 42
- art. 183(2A) inserted by 2022 c. 18 (N.I.) s. 130(8)
Evidence given by, or with respect to, childrenN.I.
169.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in relation to any oath administered to and taken by a child in any civil proceedings, section 1 of the Oaths Act 1978F1 shall have effect as if the words “I promise before Almighty God” were set out in it instead of the words “I swear by Almighty God that”.
(2) Where, in any oath otherwise duly administered to and taken by any person in any civil proceedings, either of the forms mentioned in paragraph (1) is used instead of the other, the oath shall nevertheless be deemed to have been duly administered and taken.
(3) Paragraph (4) applies where a child who is called as a witness in any civil proceedings does not, in the opinion of the court, understand the nature of an oath.
(4) The child's evidence may be heard by the court if, in its opinion—
(a)he understands that it is his duty to speak the truth; and
(b)he has sufficient understanding to justify his evidence being heard.
(5) The Lord Chancellor may[F2, with the concurrence of the Lord Chief Justice,] by order make provision for the admissibility of evidence which would otherwise be inadmissible under any rule of law relating to hearsay.
(6) An order under paragraph (5) may only be made with respect to—
(a)civil proceedings in general or such civil proceedings as may be prescribed; and
(b)evidence in connection with the upbringing, maintenance or welfare of a child.
(7) An order under paragraph (5)—
(a)may, in particular, provide for the admissibility of statements which are made orally or in a prescribed form or which are recorded by any prescribed method of recording; and
(b)may make such amendments and repeals in any statutory provision relating to evidence (other than in this Order) as the Lord Chancellor considers necessary or expedient in consequence of the provision made by the order.
(8) In this Article—
[F3“civil proceedings” means civil proceedings, before any court or other tribunal, in relation to which the strict rules of evidence apply, whether as a matter of law or by agreement of the parties, and “court” means any such court or tribunal;] and
“prescribed” means prescribed by an order under paragraph (5).
F2Words in art. 169(5) inserted (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), ss. 15(2), 148(1), Sch. 5 para. 97; S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 para. 12(b)
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