The Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998

Discriminatory advertisements

34.—(1) It is unlawful to publish, or cause to be published, an advertisement which indicates, or could reasonably be understood as indicating, an intention by a person to do an act which is unlawful by virtue of any provision of Part III or IV.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply if the intended act would be prevented from being unlawful by any provision of this Order.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the publisher of an advertisement in respect of the publication of the advertisement if the intended act would not be unlawful by virtue of any provision of Part III or IV but for Article 3(2)(b).

(4) The publisher of an advertisement which is unlawful by virtue of paragraph (1) shall not be subject to any liability under that paragraph in respect of the publication of the advertisement if he proves—

(a)that the advertisement was published in reliance on a statement made to him by the person who caused it to be published to the effect that, by reason of the operation of paragraph (2), the publication would not be unlawful; and

(b)that it was reasonable for him to rely on the statement.

(5) A person who knowingly or recklessly makes a statement such as is referred to in paragraph (4)(a) which in a material respect is false or misleading shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.