Department launches second review of Northern Ireland licensing reforms

The Department for Communities has launched the second statutory review of measures introduced under the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2021.

The legislation amended both the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 and the Registration of Clubs (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, introducing a series of changes to the regulation of licensed premises and registered clubs across Northern Ireland.

Under Section 43 of the Act, the Department is required to review and report on the implementation and effectiveness of each provision within three years of its commencement. The resulting reports must be laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly and subsequently published.

As the provisions were introduced in phases, the Department is conducting its second review to assess measures that came into operation on 6 April and 1 June 2022. The review includes a public engagement exercise aimed at gathering feedback from individuals and organisations affected by the changes.

Among the provisions being examined are powers enabling the Department to designate major events that attract significant public interest, allowing temporary extensions to licensed trading hours. The review will also consider the introduction of new liquor licence categories for cinemas and local producers of alcoholic drinks.

Other measures include changes to the occasional licence process, allowing police to attend court hearings and seek the application of specific conditions, and provisions permitting certain licensed premises to apply to host underage functions designed for people aged under 18.

To support the review, the Department has launched a series of online surveys to capture experiences and views on the operation of the reforms. The surveys are open until 9 November 2026 and are available through the Department’s Citizens Space consultation platform.

The Department is encouraging organisations and stakeholders to share details of the consultation with members, particularly liquor licence holders and officials of registered clubs, to ensure a broad range of views is reflected in the review findings.

Further information and access to the surveys are available via the Department for Communities consultation page.