National Standards Authority of Ireland Act 1996

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National Standards Authority of Ireland Act 1996

First Section 〉

Number 28 of 1996

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 7 July 2026

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This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the National Standards Authority of Ireland Act 1996. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Act 2026 (19/2026), enacted 7 July 2026, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Finance Act 2025 (Section 45) (Commencement) Order 2026 (S.I. No. 324 of 2026), made 7 July 2026, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

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Number 28 of 1996

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND ACT 1996

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

Preliminary and General

Section
1.	Short title.
2.	Commencement.
3.	Interpretation.
4.	Repeals.
5.	Expenses.

PART II

The National Standards Authority of Ireland

6.	Establishment of Authority.
7.	Functions.
8.	Functions formerly exercised by Forfás.
9.	Delegation of functions.
10.	Consultation by the Authority.
11.	Grants to Authority.
12.	Power to charge fees.
13.	Acceptance of gifts by Authority.
14.	Borrowing by Authority.
15.	Power to establish companies.

PART III

Standard Specifications and Standard Marks

16.	Standard specifications.
17.	Publication of notice of standard specification.
18.	Evidence of standard specification.
19.	False representation in connection with standard specifications.
20.	Standard marks.
21.	Grant of licence to use a standard mark.
22.	Unlawful use of standard marks.
23.	Registration of standard marks abroad.
24.	Registers.
25.	Restriction on registration under Registration of Business Names Act, 1963.
26.	Restriction on registration under the Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990.
27.	Restriction on registration under the Industrial and Commercial Property (Protection) Acts, 1927 to 1958.
28.	Regulations for promoting safe use of commodities and safe practices.
29.	Copyright.

PART IV

Offences

30.	Offences.
31.	Penalties.
32.	Prosecution of offences.
33.	Cost of prosecutions.

PART V

Transitional Provisions

34.	Transfer of property.
35.	Transfer of rights and liabilities.
36.	Exemption from stamp duty. (Repealed)
37.	Pending legal proceedings.

Staff

The National Standards Authority of Ireland

SECOND SCHEDULE

Members and Staff

Acts Referred to
Companies Acts, 1963 to 1990
Documentary Evidence Act, 1925	1925, No. 24
European Assembly Elections Act, 1977	1977, No. 30
European Assembly Elections Act, 1984	1984, No. 6
Finance Act, 1895	1895, c. 16
Industrial Development Act, 1993	1993, No. 19
Industrial and Commercial Property Protection Acts, 1927 to 1958
Industrial Research and Standards Act, 1961	1961, No. 20
Industrial Research and Standards (Amendment) Act, 1979	1979, No. 33
Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 to 1978
Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act, 1851	1851, c. 93
Registration of Business Names Act, 1963	1963, No. 30
Restrictive Practices (Amendment) Act, 1987	1987, No. 31
Trade Marks Act, 1996	1996, No. 6

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Number 28 of 1996

REVISED

Updated to 7 July 2026

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 7 July 2026

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND AS AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODY, TO TRANSFER FUNCTIONS RELATING TO STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARD MARKS FOR COMMODITIES, PROCESSES AND PRACTICES FROM FORFÁS TO THE AUTHORITY AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [31st July, 1996]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text):

Functions of National Consumer Agency re-transferred and references construed (31.10.2014) by Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 (29/2014), s. 39, S.I. No. 366 of 2014. Functions were previously transferred from Director of Consumer Affairs to National Consumer Agency, see E-note below.

Transfer of functions to Commission

39. (1) All functions that, immediately before the establishment day, were vested in the dissolved bodies are transferred to the Commission.

(2) References in any Act of the Oireachtas passed before the establishment day or in any instrument made before that day under an Act of the Oireachtas to—

(a) the National Consumer Agency, or

...

shall, on and after that day, be construed as references to the Commission.

(3) A reference in any Act of the Oireachtas passed before the establishment day or in any instrument made before that day under an Act of the Oireachtas to the chief executive of the National Consumer Agency shall, on and after that day, be construed as a reference to the chairperson of the Commission.

Functions transferred and references to Department of and Minister for Finance construed as Department of and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (29.07.2011) by Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011), arts. 2, 3, 5 and sch. 1 part 2, in operation as per art. 1(2), subject to transitional provisions in arts. 6-9.

2. (1) The administration and business in connection with the performance of any functions transferred by this Order are transferred to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

(2) References to the Department of Finance contained in any Act or instrument made thereunder and relating to the administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

3. The functions conferred on the Minister for Finance by or under the provisions of —

(a) the enactments specified in Schedule 1, and

(b) the statutory instruments specified in Schedule 2,

are transferred to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

...

5. References to the Minister for Finance contained in any Act or instrument under an Act and relating to any functions transferred by this Order shall, from the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

...

Schedule 1

Enactments

...

Part 2

1922 to 2011 Enactments

Number and Year	Short Title	Provision
(1)	(2)	(3)
...	...	...
No. 28 of 1996	National Standards Authority of Ireland Act 1996	Sections 10(4), 11(1), 15(2) and (4), and 38(2); First Schedule, paragraph 8(2) and (3)
...	...	...

Note change of name of Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform:

• Name of Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform changed to Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (1.02.2023) by Public Expenditure and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 19 of 2023);

• Name of Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform changed to Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (5.06.2025) by Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 243 of 2025).

Editorial Notes:

Previous affecting provision: functions of Director of Consumer Affairs transferred and references construed (1.05.2007) by Consumer Protection Act (19/2007), ss. 2, 37 and sch. 1 part 1, S.I. No. 178 of 2007; repealed (31.10.2014) by Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 (29/2014), s. 7(2), S.I. No. 366 of 2014.