Public Service Management Act, 1997

Interpretation.

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

“civil servant” has the meaning assigned to it by the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956 ;

“Department” means the part of a Department of State that is staffed by civil servants who exercise functions directly under a Minister of the Government or a Minister of State and, in the case of the Department of Defence, means that part of the Department together with the principal military branches, but does not include a Scheduled Office;

“enactment” means a statute or an instrument made under a power conferred by a statute;

“functions” includes powers and duties and references to the performance of functions include, with respect to powers and duties, references to the exercise of the powers and the carrying out of the duties;

“Head”, in relation to a Scheduled Office, means the person appointed as the principal officer of the Scheduled Office or, where no such person has been appointed, the person designated by order of the Government to be the Head of the Scheduled Office for the purposes of this Act;

“Minister of the Government” includes, in relation to a Scheduled Office specified in column (1) of Part I of the Schedule at any reference number, the person who holds the office specified in column (2) of that Schedule at that reference number;

“Minister of State” means a person appointed under section 1(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1977 , to be a Minister of State;

“outputs”, in relation to a Department or a Scheduled Office, means the goods and services (including standards of service) that are a consequence of the activities of the Department or Scheduled Office;

“Scheduled Office” means an office or branch of the public service specified in column (1) of Part I or in Part II of the Schedule ;

“Secretary General”, in relation to a Department, means the person appointed as the Secretary General of the Department or, where more than one person holds the rank of Secretary General in a Department, means the person holding such rank who is the principal officer of the Department;

“strategy statement” shall be construed in accordance with section 5 .

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

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

(b) a reference to a subsection, paragraph or subparagraph is a reference to the 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 an enactment includes a reference to that enactment as amended or adapted, whether before or after the commencement of this section, by or under any subsequent enactment.