{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998/section-78.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1998/47",
  "legislation_title": "Northern Ireland Act 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/northern-ireland-act-1998",
  "path": "section/78",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "78",
  "heading": "Removal of restrictions on investigation into maladministration.",
  "text": "(1) The provisions mentioned in subsection (2) (which preclude an investigation when the person aggrieved has or had a remedy by way of proceedings in a court of law) shall not apply to an investigation of a complaint alleging maladministration involving—\n(a) discrimination, or aiding or inciting any person to discriminate, on the ground of religious belief or political opinion; or\n(b) a requirement in contravention of section 77 to take an oath or make a declaration (within the meaning of that section).\n(2) The provisions are—\n(a) section 5(2)(b) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967;\n(b) section 21(1)(b) of the Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 78(2)(b) substituted for s. 78(2)(b)(c) (1.4.2016) by Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (c. 4), s. 64, Sch. 8 para. 8"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1967 c.13."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/47/section/78",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:22:12.253813+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}