Adoption Act, 1952

Definitions.

3.—In this Act—

“adoption order” means an order under section 9;

“the Board” means the body established by section 8;

“child” means (save where the context otherwise requires) any person under twenty-one years of age;

“guardian”, in relation to a child, means a person appointed, according to law, to be guardian of his person by deed or will or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction;

“interim order” means an order under section 17;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Justice;

“orphan” means a child whose parents are dead;

“parent” does not include the natural father of an illegitimate child;

“prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under section 5;

“registered adoption society” means a body of persons entered in the Adoption Societies Register;

“relative” means grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt, whether of the whole blood, of the half-blood or by affinity, relationship to an illegitimate child being traced through the mother only.