PART 3N.I.RESTRICTIONS RELATING TO GATHERINGS AND EVENTS

Restrictions on gatheringsN.I.

9.—(1) This Regulation does not apply to a gathering which is a rave or a large house party (see Regulation 10) F1... or a gathering in a private dwelling (see Regulation 12).

[F2(2) A person responsible for organising or operating an indoor gathering must, if the event consists or is expected to consist of more than 15 persons, fulfil the conditions in paragraph (5).]

[F3(3) —

(a)A person responsible for organising or operating an outdoor gathering must, if the event consists or is expected to consist of more than 30 persons, fulfil the conditions in paragraph (5).

F4(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

F5(3A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F6(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5) The conditions [F7which must be fulfilled by a person to whom this paragraph applies] are that the person responsible for organising or operating the gathering—

(a)has carried out an appropriate risk assessment (see paragraph 10); and

(b)takes all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of the coronavirus, including implementing the preventive and protective measures identified in the appropriate risk assessment undertaken under sub-paragraph (a) F8... .

(6) [F9A person who is required to comply with the conditions in paragraph (5)] must, if requested to do so by a relevant officer, give that relevant officer a copy of the appropriate risk assessment referred to in paragraph (5)(a) and an account of the measures referred to in paragraph (5)(b) as soon as reasonably practicable and, in any event, within twenty-four hours of the request.

(7) In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation—

(a)a person attending, or responsible for organising or operating, a funeral or a service associated with a funeral must comply with [F10“Guidance for handling the infection risks when caring for the deceased and managing funerals”]F11 issued by the Department of Health but failure to do so does not constitute an offence under regulation 22;

F12(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)The person responsible for organising or operating a funeral or a service associated with a funeral includes the person operating the place where it takes place and the funeral director making the funeral arrangements.

(8) In addition to the other requirements of this Regulation, a person responsible for organising or operating a marriage ceremony or civil partnership ceremony must take reasonable steps to—

F13(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)comply with the duty in Regulation 15 (Visitor and Attendee Information).

(9) This Regulation does not apply to a gathering which arises for the purpose of enabling a person to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm, or to provide emergency or medical assistance to a person.

(10) An appropriate risk assessment is an assessment carried out by the person responsible for organising or operating a gathering for the purpose of identifying and evaluating—

(a)the nature and magnitude of the risk of infection, contamination and transmission of coronavirus arising in the course, or as a result, of the organisation or operation of the gathering; and

(b)measures which are reasonably practicable to take to avoid, mitigate or eliminate those risks including—

(i)those which prioritise the greatest communal protection;

(ii)those designed to replace practices with less hazardous ones; and

(iii)the use of clear and concise verbal and written instructions.

Textual Amendments

F11https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/interim-guidance-for-funeral-directors.pdf

Restrictions on raves and large house partiesN.I.

10.—(1) A person must not organise or operate a rave or a large house party.

(2) No person may participate in a gathering prohibited under paragraph (1).

(3) (a) “Large house party” means an indoor or outdoor gathering of more than 30 persons at a private dwelling;

(b)“Rave” means a private indoor or outdoor gathering of 30 or more persons (whether or not at a private dwelling) at which amplified music is played during the night with or without intermission which is likely to cause serious distress to inhabitants of the locality by reason of its loudness, duration and the time at which it is played.

(4) “Amplified music” includes sounds wholly or predominantly characterised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats.

Restrictions on sporting eventsN.I.

F1411.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

Restriction on gatherings: private dwellingsN.I.

12.—[F15(1) A person may only participate in a gathering in a private dwelling or in tourist accommodation—

(a)indoors which consists of—

(i)one household;

(ii)no more than six persons (not including children aged 12 or under) and no more than two households; or

(iii)one household of 6 or more persons and one other household up to a maximum of 10 persons (not including children aged 12 or under).

(b)outdoors which consists of no more than fifteen persons [F16(not including children aged 12 or under)].]

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a gathering indoors F17... which consists of one [F18bubble], provided that such a gathering does not consist of more than 10 persons.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply where the gathering is for the purpose of—

(a)the provision of care or assistance, including social services, to a vulnerable person;

(b)childcare provided by a person registered under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 or childcare provided free of charge or for less than two hours per day;

(c)building or maintenance works or the provision of the services of a trade or profession at the private dwelling;

(d)giving or receiving legal advice or assistance or fulfilling a legal obligation;

(e)moving house or undertaking associated activities including viewing properties and making arrangements for removals;

(f)the provision of emergency or medical assistance to a person;

(g)the removal of the remains of a deceased person to or from the private dwelling.

(4) Paragraph (1) does not apply to an indoor gathering for the purpose of a marriage ceremony or a civil partnership ceremony where a party to the marriage or civil partnership is seriously ill and death in consequence of that illness can reasonably be expected within six months of the date of the ceremony.

(5) In a case referred to in paragraph (4) which takes place in a private dwelling, that gathering may consist of no more than 10 persons including the participants and officiant.

(6) A person attending, or a person responsible for organising or operating, a gathering for the purpose of a funeral or an event associated with a funeral must comply with [F19“Guidance for handling the infection risks when caring for the deceased and managing funeralsF20”] issued by the Department of Health but failure to do so does not constitute an offence under regulation 22.

(7) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a gathering which is a rave or a large house party (see regulation 10).

Textual Amendments

F20https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/interim-guidance-for-funeral-directors.pdf