Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Period Products (Free Provision) (Northern Ireland) Act 2022

Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
Long title	An Act to secure the provision throughout Northern Ireland of free period products; and for connected purposes.
Citation	2022 c. 25
Introduced by	Pat Catney
Territorial extent	Northern Ireland
Dates
Royal assent	12 May 2022
Commencement	22 June 2023,[1] 15 April 2024[2]
Status: Current legislation
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Text of the Period Products (Free Provision) Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 received Royal assent on 12 May 2022 and requires all public bodies to provide provision of free period products.

History

In 2021, the Scottish Parliament passed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021. Following that, the assembly passed Pat Catney's private members' bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly to provide similar provision in the Northern Ireland.

Period product became available free of charge on 13 May 2024.[3][4]

In May 2023, the money allocated to providing free period products was cut by 40% due to funding cuts in the budget from the Northern Ireland Office.[5]

See also

• Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021

References

1. Northern Ireland Assembly. The Period Products (Free Provision) (2022 Act) (Commencement No.1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 as amended (see also as made), from legislation.gov.uk.
2. Northern Ireland Assembly. The Period Products (Free Provision) (2022 Act) (Commencement No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 as amended (see also as made), from legislation.gov.uk.
3. "Period Products (Free Provision) – Statement of Provision". 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022 – via Executive Office of Northern Irelnan. Period Products will be made available free of charge from 13 May 2024.
4. "Free Period Products now Available in all Local Libraries in Northern Ireland". 14 May 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2022 – via Libraries NI. As of Monday 13 May 2024, free period products are readily available in every public library across Northern Ireland for anyone who needs them.
5. Meredith, Robbie (4 May 2023). "Period poverty: No free tampons in school 'adds stress to families'". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 15 July 2024. The money schools get from the Department of Education to provide free period products has been cut by more than 40%. ... The annual funding for education was cut in the recent budget from Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.