Search Legislation

The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

More Resources

Changes over time for: PART XIV

 Help about opening options

Version Superseded: 13/01/2020

Alternative versions:

Status:

Point in time view as at 10/12/2015.

Changes to legislation:

The Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995, PART XIV is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 15 August 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. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Changes and effects yet to be applied by the editorial team are only applicable when viewing the latest version or prospective version of legislation. They are therefore not accessible when viewing legislation as at a specific point in time. To view the ‘Changes to Legislation’ information for this provision return to the latest version view using the options provided in the ‘What Version’ box above.

PART XIVN.I.PARENTS NOT MARRIED TO EACH OTHER

Parents not being married to each other to have no effect in law on relationshipsN.I.

155.—(1) In this Order and in any statutory provision or any instrument passed or made after the commencement of this Article, references (however expressed) to any relationship between two persons shall be construed without regard to whether or not the father and mother of either of them or the father and mother of any person through whom the relationship is deduced, have or had been married to each other at any time.

(2) In this Order and in any statutory provision passed or made after the commencement of this Article—

(a)references to a person whose father and mother were married to each other at the time of his birth include, and

(b)references to a person whose father and mother were not married to each other at the time of his birth do not include,

references to any person to whom paragraph (3) applies.

(3) This paragraph applies to any person who—

(a)is treated as legitimate by virtue of section 1 of the Legitimacy Act (Northern Ireland) 1961F1;

(b)is a legitimated person within the meaning of Article 32 of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings (Northern Ireland) Order 1989F2;

[F3(ba)has a parent by virtue of section 42 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (which relates to treatment provided to a woman who is at the time of treatment a party to a civil partnership or, in certain circumstances, a void civil partnership);

(bb)has a parent by virtue of section 43 of that Act (which relates to treatment provided to woman who agrees that second woman to be parent) who—

(i)is the civil partner of the child's mother at the time of the child's birth, or

(ii)was the civil partner of the child's mother at any time during the period beginning with the time mentioned in section 43(b) of that Act and ending with the child's birth;]

(c)is an adopted child within the meaning of Part V of the Adoption Order; or

(d)is otherwise treated in law as legitimate.

(4) For the purpose of construing references falling within paragraph (2), the time of a person's birth shall be taken to include any time during the period beginning with—

(a)the insemination resulting in his birth; or

(b)where there was no such insemination, his conception,

and (in either case) ending with his birth.

[F4(4A) A child whose parents are parties to a void civil partnership shall, subject to paragraph (4B), be treated as falling within paragraph (3)(bb) if at the time when the parties registered as civil partners of each other both or either of the parties reasonably believed that the civil partnership was valid.

(4B) Paragraph (4A) applies only where the woman who is a parent by virtue of section 43 was domiciled in Northern Ireland at the time of the birth or, if she died before the birth, was so domiciled immediately before her death.

(4C) Paragraph (4A) applies even though the belief that the civil partnership was valid was due to a mistake as to law.

(4D) It shall be presumed for the purposes of paragraph (4A), unless the contrary is shown, that one of the parties to a void civil partnership reasonably believed at the time of the formation of the civil partnership that the civil partnership was valid.]

(5) Paragraphs (1) and (2) have effect subject to any contrary intention.

F3Art. 155(3)(ba)(bb) inserted (6.4.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.9.2009) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (c. 22), ss. 56, 68(2), Sch. 6 para. 75(2); S.I. 2009/479, art. 6(1)(e)(f)(2) (with transitional provisions in art.7, Sch. 1)

F4Art. 155(4A)-(4D) inserted (6.4.2009 for certain purposes otherwise 1.9.2009) by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 (c. 22), ss. 56, 68(2), Sch. 6 para. 75(3); S.I. 2009/479, art. 6(1)(e)(f)(2) (with transitional provisions in art.7, Sch. 1)

Application of principle to certain existing statutory provisionsN.I.

156.  The Department of Finance and Personnel may by order make provision for the construction in accordance with Article 155 of such statutory provisions passed or made before the commencement of that Article as may be specified in the order, but an order under this Article shall so amend the statutory provisions to which it relates as to secure that (so far as practicable) they continue to have the same effect notwithstanding the making of the order.

Property rightsN.I.

157.  Schedule 6 (which contains provisions relating to property rights where the parents of a child were not married to each other at the time of his birth) shall have effect.

Repeal of Illegitimate Children (Affiliation Orders) Act (Northern Ireland) 1924N.I.

158.  The Illegitimate Children (Affiliation Orders) Act (Northern Ireland) 1924F5 shall cease to have effect.

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Order as a PDF

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Order

The Whole Order you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Point in Time: This becomes available after navigating to view revised legislation as it stood at a certain point in time via Advanced Features > Show Timeline of Changes or via a point in time advanced search.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.