Litter Pollution Act, 1997

Interpretation.

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

“deposit”, in relation to a substance or object that can constitute litter in respect of any place, means to throw, drop, dump, abandon or discard the substance or object, as the case may be, or allow it to escape or be released in or into the place;

“footway” has the meaning assigned by the Roads Act, 1993 ;

“functions” includes powers and duties and a reference to the performance of a function includes, with respect to powers and duties, a reference to the exercise of the powers and the carrying out of the duties;

“hire-drive agreement”, in relation to a mechanically propelled vehicle, means an agreement under which the vehicle is hired from its registered owner, other than—

(a) a hire-purchase agreement,

(b) an agreement merely for the carriage of persons or goods,

(c) an agreement under which the registered owner of the vehicle drives, or provides a driver for, the vehicle;

“land” includes any structure and any land covered by water;

“litter” means a substance or object, whether or not intended as waste (other than waste within the meaning of the Waste Management Act, 1996 , which is properly consigned for disposal) that, when deposited in a place other than a litter receptacle or other place lawfully designated for the deposit, is or is likely to become unsightly, deleterious, nauseous or unsanitary, whether by itself or with any other such substance or object, and regardless of its size or volume or the extent of the deposit;

“litter receptacle” means a receptacle designated or otherwise apparently intended to be used for the deposit of litter;

“litter warden” means a person authorised by a local authority to perform, on behalf of the local authority, the functions of the local authority and of a litter warden under this Act;

“local authority” means, in the case of—

(a) a county, other than any borough or urban district therein, the council of the county,

(b) a county or other borough, the corporation of the county or other borough, and

(c) an urban district, the council of the urban district,

and a reference to the functional area of a local authority shall be construed accordingly;

“mechanically propelled vehicle” has the meaning assigned by the Road Traffic Act, 1961 ;

“the Minister” means the Minister for the Environment;

“occupier”, in relation to any place or thing, means the person occupying, whether legally or otherwise, the place or thing and includes any other person having, for the time being, control of the place or thing;

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister;

“public place” means any place to which the public has access whether as of right or by permission and whether subject to or free of charge;

“public road” has the meaning assigned by the Roads Act, 1993 ;

“registered owner”, in respect of a vehicle, has the meaning assigned by the Road Traffic Act, 1961 ;

“roadway” has the meaning assigned by the Roads Act, 1993 .

(2) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears, a reference to—

(a) a section or Part is a reference to a section or Part of this Act,

(b) a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, and

(c) an enactment includes a reference to that enactment as amended.