Interpretation.

2.—(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“Authority” means the Equality Authority;

“Director” means the Director of Equality Investigations appointed under section 75(1) of the Employment Equality Act, 1998 ;

“disability” means—

(a) the total or partial absence of a person's bodily or mental functions, including the absence of a part of a person's body,

(b) the presence in the body of organisms causing, or likely to cause, chronic disease or illness,

(c) the malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of a person's body,

(d) a condition or malfunction which results in a person learning differently from a person without the condition or malfunction, or

(e) a condition, disease or illness which affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgement or which results in disturbed behaviour;

“discriminate” means to discriminate within the meaning of section 3 (1) or 4(1);

“discriminatory grounds” has the meaning given by section 3 (2);

“family status” means being pregnant or having responsibility—

(a) as a parent or as a person in loco parentis in relation to a person who has not attained the age of 18 years, or

(b) as a parent or the resident primary carer in relation to a person of or over that age with a disability which is of such a nature as to give rise to the need for care or support on a continuing, regular or frequent basis,

and, for the purposes of paragraph (b), a primary carer is a resident primary carer in relation to a person with a disability if the primary carer resides with the person with the disability;

“goods” means any articles of movable property;

“marital status” means being single, married, separated, divorced or widowed;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform;

“near relative” means a spouse, lineal descendant, ancestor, brother or sister;

“person”, as that term is used in or in relation to any provision of this Act that prohibits that person from discriminating or from committing any other act or that requires a person to comply with a provision of this Act or regulations made under it, includes an organisation, public body or other entity;

“premises” includes any immovable property;

“proceedings”, when used without qualification, includes any referral, mediation or investigation under Part III but does not include criminal proceedings under this Act;

“prohibited conduct” means discrimination against, or sexual harassment or harassment of, or permitting the sexual harassment or harassment of, a person in contravention of this Act;

“refusal” includes a deliberate omission;

“religious belief” includes religious background or outlook;

“service” means a service or facility of any nature which is available to the public generally or a section of the public, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, includes—

(a) access to and the use of any place,

(b) facilities for—

(i) banking, insurance, grants, loans, credit or financing,

(ii) entertainment, recreation or refreshment,

(iii) cultural activities, or

(iv) transport or travel,

(c) a service or facility provided by a club (whether or not it is a club holding a certificate of registration under the Registration of Clubs Acts, 1904 to 1999) which is available to the public generally or a section of the public, whether on payment or without payment, and

(d) a professional or trade service,

but does not include pension rights (within the meaning of the Employment Equality Act, 1998 ) or a service or facility in relation to which that Act applies;

“sexual orientation” means heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual orientation;

“Traveller community” means the community of people who are commonly called Travellers and who are identified (both by themselves and others) as people with a shared history, culture and traditions including, historically, a nomadic way of life on the island of Ireland.

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

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

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

(c) a reference to an enactment is to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.