
1979 No. 926 (N.I. 10)

Tattooing of Minors (Northern Ireland) Order 1979
 [26th July 1979]
Title and commencement
1 
This Order may be cited as the Tattooing of Minors (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 … Commencement

			…
Interpretation
2 

(1) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954  shall apply to Article 1 and the following provisions of this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
(2) In this Order—“medical practitioner” means a fully registered person within the meaning of section 54(1) of the Medical Act 1956 ;“minor” means a person under the age of 18;“tattoo” means the insertion into the skin of any colouring material designed to leave a permanent mark.
Prohibition of tattooing of minors
3 

(1) Subject to Article 4, any person who tattoos a minor shall be guilty of an offence.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred pounds.
Defences
4 
A person shall not be guilty of an offence under Article 3—
(a) if he reasonably believes that the minor is not under the age of 18; or
(b) if, being a medical practitioner or working under the direction of a medical practitioner, he performs the tattoo for medical reasons.