# The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006, Regulation 2: Interpretation

Extent: N.I.

(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 shall apply to these Regulations as it applies to an Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
(2) In these Regulations “sexual orientation” means a sexual orientation towards —
(a) persons of the same sex;
(b) persons of the opposite sex;
(c) persons of the same sex and of the opposite sex.
(3) In these Regulations —
(a) references to discrimination are to any discrimination falling within regulation 3(1) (discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation) or 4 (discrimination by way of victimisation); and
(b) references to harassment are to any harassment falling within regulation 3(3) (harassment),
and related expressions shall be construed accordingly.
(4) In these Regulations —
“access” shall be construed in accordance with regulation 48;
“act” includes a deliberate omission;
“benefits” includes facilities and services;
“the Commission” means the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland established by section 73 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998;
“Commissioner” means a member of the Commission;
“the Department” means the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister;
“education” means any form of training or instruction;
“final” shall be construed in accordance with regulation 2(5).
“formal investigation” means an investigation under regulation 30;
“general notice”, in relation to any person, means a notice published by him at a time and in a manner appearing to him suitable for securing that the notice is seen within a reasonable time by persons likely to be affected by it;
“Minister of the Crown” includes the Treasury and Defence Council;
“non-discrimination notice” means a notice under regulation 37;
“Northern Ireland” includes such of the territorial waters of the United Kingdom as are adjacent to Northern Ireland;
“Northern Ireland Minister” includes the First Minister and deputy First Minister acting jointly;
“notice” means a notice in writing;
“premises” includes land of any description;
“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Department.
“school” has the same meaning as in the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.
(5) For the purposes of these Regulations a non-discrimination notice or a finding by the court becomes final when —
(a) an appeal against the notice or finding is dismissed, withdrawn or abandoned; or
(b) the time for appealing expires without an appeal having been brought
and for the purposes of subparagraph (a) an appeal against a non-discrimination notice shall be taken to be dismissed if, notwithstanding that a requirement of the notice is quashed on appeal, a direction is given in respect of it under regulation 38.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2006/439/regulation/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/equality-act-sexual-orientation-regulations-northern-ireland-2006/regulation-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.