Health (Amendment) Act 2021

Short title, commencement and operation

9. (1) This Act may be cited as the Health (Amendment) Act 2021.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), this Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Health may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or different provisions.

(3) Sections 2 , 7 and 8

(a) may, during the relevant period only, be the subject of an order under subsection (2), and

(b) where they are the subject of such an order, shall, subject to subsection (6), continue in operation during the relevant period only.

(4) In this section, “relevant period” means—

(a) the period of 3 months commencing on the day following the passing of this Act, or

(b) such further period as is specified in a resolution passed by each House of the Oireachtas under subsection (5).

(5) The relevant period may be extended by a resolution passed by each House of the Oireachtas—

(a) before the expiry of the period of 3 months commencing on the day following the passing of this Act, or

(b) where the relevant period stands extended by a resolution under this subsection, before the expiry, in accordance with the resolution, of the relevant period,

for such period (being a period not exceeding 3 months) as is specified in the resolution.

(6) Where, in accordance with subsection (3)(b), an amendment of the Act of 1947 referred to in that subsection ceases to be in operation on a particular date and, immediately before that date, a person is a person to whom this subsection applies, the amendment shall continue in operation in all respects for the purposes of ensuring that the quarantine or self-quarantine of the person in compliance with the amendment continues notwithstanding that cesser.

(7) Subsection (6) applies to a person who is—

(a) obliged under section 38B (inserted by section 7 ) of the Act of 1947 to quarantine, or

(b) obliged or considered to be obliged, under section 38B of the Act of 1947 or any regulations made under that Act which apply to persons arriving in the State from a state other than a designated state (within the meaning of section 38E(1) of that Act), to self-quarantine.