Standards in Public Office Act, 2001

Interpretation.

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

“the Act of 1997” means the Electoral Act, 1997 ;

“the Acts” means—

(a) the Tax Acts,

(b) the Capital Acquisitions Tax Act, 1976 , and the enactments amending or extending that Act,

(c) the Capital Gains Tax Acts, and

(d) the Value-Added Tax Act, 1972 , and the enactments amending or extending that Act;

“application statement” means a statement issued under section 25 (4);

“Collector-General” means the Collector-General appointed under section 851 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 ;

“the Commission” means the Standards in Public Office Commission established by section 21 (as amended by this Act) of the Principal Act;

“donation” has the meaning assigned to it by Part IV of the Electoral Act, 1997 ;

“head”, in relation to a public body, has the meaning assigned by the Freedom of Information Act, 1997 , to head, in relation to a public body (within the meaning of that Act), with any necessary modifications;

“inquiry officer” shall be construed in accordance with section 6 ;

“the Principal Act” means the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995 ;

“senior office” means—

(a) a designated directorship of a public body specified in subparagraphs (8) to (12), or standing prescribed under subparagraph (13), of paragraph 1 of the First Schedule to the Principal Act, or

(b) a designated position in a public body,

in relation to which the remuneration is not less than the lowest remuneration in relation to the position of Deputy Secretary General in the Civil Service (within the meaning of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 );

“tax clearance certificate” means a certificate issued under section 25 (1).

(2) A word or expression that is used in this Act and also in the Principal Act shall, unless the context otherwise requires, have the same meaning in this Act as it has in the Principal Act.

(3) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a section or Schedule is a reference to a section of, or a Schedule to, this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended,

(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended, and

(c) a reference to any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by or under any subsequent enactment.