Great Seal of Northern Ireland

The Great Seal of Northern Ireland is the seal used for Northern Ireland. The great seal is in the possession of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The Great Seal was created by the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922 on the creation of Northern Ireland for possession by the Governor of Northern Ireland to "be used for all matters in Northern Ireland for which the Great Seal of Ireland was theretofore used" [1]

This remained until the imposition of direct rule when it was presented to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Uses

Judges of the High Court of Northern Ireland, Lords Justice of Appeal and the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland are appointed by Her Majesty by letters patent under the Great Seal of Northern Ireland.[2]

Royal Assent to Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly are signified by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Northern Ireland.[3]

Wafer Seals

The Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1945 authorised the preparation and use of a die bearing the same device as the obverse of the seal, and the impression embossed by means of the die on, or on a wafer or other material attached to, a document confers on the document the same validity in all respects as if it had been authenticated by, or passed under, the Great Seal itself.[4] Section 49 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 makes similar provision for the creation of a Wafer Great Seal of Northern Ireland, which is valid for use on letters patent signifying Royal Assent to Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922, Schedule, paragraph 2(4).
  2. ↑ Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978, section 12, as substituted by the Northern Ireland Act 2009
  3. ↑ Northern Ireland Act 1998, section 5(3).
  4. ↑ Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1945, section 3.


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