# The Insolvency (Amendment) (2026 Act) (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026, Note: Explanatory note

Extent: N.I.

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order is the first commencement order made under the Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2026 (“the 2026 Act”).
Article 2 brings into operation the provisions of the 2026 Act listed in that Article on 16th October 2026.
Thes provisions in the 2026 Act which are brought into operation by Article 2 either amend existing provisions in, or insert new provisions into, the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (“the 1989 Order”), the Company Directors Disqualification (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 (“the 2002 Order”) and the Insolvent Partnerships Order (Northern Ireland) 1995 (“the 1995 Order”).
Some of the provisions in the 2026 Act which are brought into operation by Article 2 also include minor amendments to legislation other than the 1989, the 2002 and the 1995 Orders. Section 93 includes amendments to the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 and the Insolvency (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. Among the provisions in Schedule 3 which are brought into operation are paragraph 9, which includes an amendment to the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015, paragraph 14(4) which amends the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, paragraph 16(2) which amends both the Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 1994 and the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002, and paragraph 19 which amends the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 2005.
Article 3 brings into operation the provisions of the 2026 Act listed in that Article on 24th December 2026.
The provisions which are brought into operation by Article 3 are in Schedules 3 and 4 to the 2026 Act.
The provisions in Schedule 3 which are brought into operation are paragraphs 3, 4, 7 and 8. Paragraphs 3 and 4 amend the 1989 Order. Paragraph 7 amends the 2002 Order and makes a minor consequential amendment to the Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act 2021. Paragraph 8 amends the Insolvent Companies (Reports on Conduct of Directors) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2003.
Article 4 provides for the partial commencement of the provisions listed in that Article on 16th October 2026 for the purpose of enabling the exercise of delegated powers or the preparation and issue of statutory guidance.
Article 5 contain transitional provisions.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2026/180/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/insolvency-amendment-2026-act-commencement-no-1-and-transitional-provisions-order-northern-ireland-2026/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.