British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999

Interpretation.

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

“the Agreement” means the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland establishing Implementation Bodies done at Dublin on the 8th day of March, 1999, the text of which is set out in the Schedule to this Act;

“a Body” means an implementation body and “the Bodies” shall be construed accordingly;

“the British-Irish Agreement” means the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland done at Belfast on the 10th day of April, 1998;

“function” includes a power and a duty and a reference to the performance of a function includes, in respect of a power, a reference to the exercise of the power and, in respect of a duty, a reference to the carrying out of the duty;

“implementation body” means an implementation body established by the Agreement;

“the Multi-Party Agreement” means the Agreement reached in the Multi-Party Negotiations at Belfast on the 10th day of April, 1998, and set out in Annex 1 to the British-Irish Agreement;

“the Northern Ireland Minister” means any Minister in Northern Ireland or a department in Northern Ireland of which such a Minister is head;

“the North/South Ministerial Council” means the body established by the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland establishing a North/South Ministerial Council done at Dublin on the 8th day of March, 1999.

(2) This Act shall be construed with due regard to the Multi-Party Agreement, the British-Irish Agreement and the Agreement (in so far as this Act makes provision in pursuance of, or supplementary or incidental to, the Agreement).

(3) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a Part or section is a reference to a Part or section of 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 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 any enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended, whether before or after the passing of this Act, by or under any subsequent enactment.