(LRC Revised)

Number 28 of 1996

NATIONAL STANDARDS AUTHORITY OF IRELAND ACT 1996

REVISED

Updated to 7 July 2026

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

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.

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 Forf á s.

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.

PART VI

Staff

38.

Staff.

FIRST SCHEDULE

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

Number

28

of

1996

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 FORF Á S TO THE AUTHORITY AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [31

st July

, 1996]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS

FOLLOWS

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

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.

C2

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

E1

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.

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text)

C1

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.

C2

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

E1

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.

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 Forf á s.

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.

PART VI

Staff

38.

Staff.

FIRST SCHEDULE

The National Standards Authority of Ireland

SECOND SCHEDULE

Members and Staff

Number

28

of

1996