Gas Act, 1976

Interpretation.

2.—In this Act—

“the Act of 1960” means the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act, 1960 , as extended by section 4 (2) of the Continental Shelf Act, 1968 ;

“the Board” means the body established by section 7;

“the Commission” means the Irish Land Commission;

“the Company” means Bord Gáis Éireann Teoranta;

“deviation limits” has the meaning assigned to it by Article 1 of the Second Schedule;

“the establishment day” means the day appointed by the Minister pursuant to section 3;

“exploration licence” has the meaning assigned to it by section 8 of the Act of 1960;

“foreshore” means the bed and shore, between the line of high water of ordinary or medium tides and the line of low water of such tides, of the sea and of every tidal river and tidal estuary and of every channel, creek and bay of the sea or of any such river or estuary;

“functions” includes powers and duties;

“harbour authority” means a harbour authority within the meaning of the Harbours Act, 1946 ;

“land” includes seashore, land covered with water and foreshore other than foreshore which is the property of the State;

“local authority” means a local authority for the purposes of the Local Government Act, 1941 ;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Transport and Power;

“natural gas” means any gas derived from natural strata (whether or not it has been subjected to liquification or any other process or treatment);

“owner”, except in section 32 (7) and subject to Article 12 of the Second Schedule, in relation to land means,

(a) a person other than a mortgagee not in possession, who, whether in his own right or as trustee or agent for any other person, is entitled to receive the rack rent of the land or, where the land is not let at a rack rent, would be so entitled if it were so let,

(b) a lessee or occupier (other than a tenant for a month or a less period than a month);

“petroleum lease” has the meaning assigned to it by section 13 of the Act of 1960;

“pipeline” means a pipeline used or intended to be used for the transmission of gas and includes part of a pipeline, and, except in section 8 (3) (f), includes any apparatus, equipment or other thing which is ancillary to such a pipeline;

“prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this Act;

“right over land” includes any wayleave or other easement or any profit à prendre or any right in, on or over any land;

“seashore” means every beach, bank and cliff contiguous to the foreshore and includes all sands and rocks contiguous to the foreshore.