This Order makes supplementary, incidental and consequential provisions as a result of section 74(1) and (2) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which provided for the functions of the Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland, the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland, the Commission for Racial Equality for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Disability Council to be exercisable by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and for those bodies to be dissolved.

The Order transfers the property, rights, liabilities and staff of the dissolved bodies to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland and provides for accounts and reports to be prepared in respect of the period before the dissolution of those bodies.