The Disability Discrimination Act prohibits the discrimination against people with disabilities, gives them enforceable rights and promotes their equality of opportunity. The purpose of the Act is to implement the equality of people with disabilities in Northern Ireland when it comes to work, access of goods, facilities and services, education and transport by equipping them with the appropriate legal instruments.

The Act came into force in 1995 and has been amended multiple times since then. Section 5 of the Disability Discrimination Order 2006 added additional duties for public authorities regarding people with disabilities. These were added to Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act and are in effect since 1 January 2007.

The following chapter will deal with the content of the legal duties of Article 49A in a more detailed way.