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Statutes of Northern Ireland
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INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - LONG TITLE

An Act to make provision with respect to the operation,
interpretation and citation of Acts of the Parliament of Northern
Ireland and of instruments made thereunder{1}.
[21st December 1954]
Application of this ActMeaning of certain expressions as used in
this Act.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 1

1. For the purposes of this Act

(a)"Act" means an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland;

(b)"enactment" means an Act or a statutory instrument or any
provision of an Act or statutory instrument;

(c)"instrument" includes an Order in Council, order or warrant (other
than an order made or a warrant issued by a court), scheme, rule,
regulation, or bye-law;

(d)"statutory instrument" means an instrument made under an Act;

(e)"statutory document" means any document issued under an Act other
than a statutory instrument or an order of a court;

(f)"statutory provision" means any provision of a statute or
instrument made under a statute (by whatsoever Parliament passed or
by whomsoever made) for the time being in force in Northern
Ireland, whether or not relating to a matter in respect of which
the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws;

(g)"transferred provision" means

(i)an enactment;

(ii)a statute passed either before the date of the commencement of
the Union with Ireland Act, 1800, by the Parliament of England, the
Parliament of Great Britian or the Parliament of Ireland, or after
that date by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, being a statute
extending to Northern Ireland and relating to a matter in respect
of which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws;

<(iii)an instrument made under or by virtue of any such statute; and

<(iv)any provision of any such statute or instrument.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 2
Application of this Act.

2.(1) Every provision of this Act shall extend and apply to every
enactment, whether passed or made before or after the passing of
this Act, unless a contrary intention appears in this Act or in
the enactment.

(2) In addition, any provision of this Act which refers to
transferred provisions shall, unless the contrary intention appears in
the transferred provisions, have, in relation to those provisions,
such effect as is stated in that provision of this Act.

(3) The provisions of this Act shall apply to this Act as they
apply to an enactment passed after the commencement of this Act and
references in this Act to an enactment passed after the commencement
of this Act shall be construed as including references to this Act.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 3
Rules not inconsistent not excluded.

3. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as excluding the
application to a statutory provision of a rule of construction
applicable thereto and not inconsistent with this Act.

Acts to be deemed public.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 4

4. Every Act shall be a public Act and shall be judicially noticed
as such, unless the contrary is expressly provided by the Act.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 5
Provisions in private Acts.

5. A provision in a private Act shall not affect the rights of a
person otherwise than as therein mentioned or referred to.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 6
Enactments to apply to whole of Northern Ireland.

6. Every enactment shall, unless the contrary intention appears,
apply to the whole of the portion of Ireland which is within the
jurisdiction of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 7
Crown not bound, unless named.

7. No enactment passed or made after the commencement of this Act
shall bind or affect in any manner whatsoever Her Majesty or Her
Majesty's rights or prerogatives, unless it is stated therein that
Her Majesty is bound thereby to the full extent authorised or
permitted by the constitutional laws of Northern Ireland or to such
less extent as is specified in the enactment.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 8
References to the Crown, etc.

8.(1) A reference in an enactment to the Sovereign or to the Crown
includes a reference to the Sovereign for the time being.

(2) This Act shall be binding on the Crown to the full extent
authorised or permitted by the constitutional laws of Northern
Ireland.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 9
Provisions to be substantive enactments.

9. Every provision of an enactment shall have effect as a
substantive enactment without introductory words.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 10
Preamble and marginal notes.

10.(1) The preamble to an enactment shall be construed as a part
thereof intended to assist in explaining the purport and object of
the enactment.

(2) Marginal notes in an enactment and marginal references therein
to other enactments shall not be construed as part of the enactment
and shall be deemed to be inserted for convenience of reference
only.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 11
References in enactments.

11.(1) A reference in an enactment to any statutory provision shall
be construed as a reference to that provision as for the time
being amended by or under any other statutory provision, including
the enactment in which the reference is made.

(2) A reference in an enactment to any statute passed either before
the date of the commencement of the Union with Ireland Act, 1800,
by the Irish Parliament or the Parliament of England or the
Parliament of Great Britain or on or after that date by the
Parliament of the United Kingdom, or to any instrument made under
or by virtue of any such statute, shall, except as provided in
sub-section (3), be construed as a reference to that statute or
instrument as it applies for the time being in Northern Ireland.

(3) Sub-section (2) shall not apply where the reference

(a)is to a statute or instrument which does not apply in Northern
Ireland; or

(b)relates to any act or thing done in any other part of the
United Kingdom under and for the purposes of a statute or
instrument as it applies in that part of the United Kingdom.

(4) A reference in an enactment by number or letter to a Part,
section, sub-section, paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division of
another enactment or statutory provision shall be construed as a
reference to such Part, section, sub-section, paragraph, sub-paragraph
or other division of such other enactment or provision as printed
by authority of law.

(5) A reference in an enactment by number or letter to two or
more Parts, divisions, sections, sub-sections, paragraphs,
sub-paragraphs, schedules, instruments or forms shall be read as
including the number or letter first mentioned and the number or
letter last mentioned.

(6) Where in an enactment reference is made to a Part, division,
section, schedule or form without anything in the context to
indicate that a reference to a Part, division, section, schedule or
form of some other enactment or statutory provision is intended, the
reference shall be construed as a reference to a Part, division,
section, schedule or form of the enactment in which the reference
is made.

(7) Where in a section of an enactment reference is made to a
sub-section, paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division without
anything in the context to indicate that a reference to a
sub-section, paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division of some other
section or provision is intended, the reference shall be construed
as a reference to a sub-section, paragraph, sub-paragraph or other
division of the section in which the reference is made.

(8) Where in a schedule or Part of a schedule to an enactment
reference is made to a paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division
without anything in the context to indicate that a reference to a
paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division of some other provision is
intended, the reference shall be construed as a reference to the
paragraph, sub-paragraph or other division of the schedule or the
Part of the schedule in which the reference is made.

(9) Where in an enactment reference is made to a statutory
instrument or statutory document, without anything in the context to
indicate that a reference to a statutory instrument or statutory
document made under some other enactment or statutory provision is
intended, the reference shall be construed as a reference to a
statutory instrument or statutory document, as the case may be, made
under the enactment in which the reference is made.

(10) A reference in an enactment to any power exercisable, statutory
instrument or statutory document made, or issued or act or thing
done under a statutory provision shall include a reference to a
power exercisable, a statutory instrument or statutory document made,
or issued or act or thing done by virtue of that provision or of
any statutory instrument or statutory document made or issued under
or by virtue of that provision.

(11) The expression "herein" when used in a section or other
division of an enactment passed or made after the commencement of
this Act shall relate to the whole enactment and not to that
section or division only.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 12
Amending provisions.

12.(1) An Act may be amended, altered or repealed in the same
session of Parliament.

(2) An amending enactment shall, so far as consistent with the
tenor thereof, operate and be construed as part of any transferred
provision which it amends and, without prejudice to sub-section (1)
of section eleven shall, as from the date on which it comes into
operation, have effect accordingly for the purpose of the
construction and operation of any other transferred provision which
refers to, or is incorporated with, the provision which it amends.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 13
Date of passing, etc., of enactments.

13.(1) The date of the passing of every Act shall be the date on
which the Bill for that Act receives the Royal Assent.

(2) The Clerk of the Parliaments shall inscribe on every Act,
immediately after the long title of the Act, the day, month and
year when the Act received Royal Assent; and such inscription shall
be taken to be part of the Act.

(3) The date of the making of every statutory instrument shall be
the date therein expressed as the date of the execution thereof,
but where the instrument is made by two or more authorities jointly
and is therein expressed to be executed by those authorities on
different dates, the date of the making thereof shall be the last
date so expressed.

(4) Where a statutory instrument made or to be made after the
commencement of this Act by one authority requires the concurrence
or approval of any other authority, that concurrence or approval
shall be formally inscribed on the instrument either

(a)on or before the date of the making thereof; or

(b)if the other authority has before that date indicated an
intention to concur in or approve of the making of the instrument,
within one month after such making.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 14
Coming into force of enactments.

14.(1) Every enactment which is not expressed to come into force or
operation on a particular day shall come into operation immediately
on the expiration of the day before the date of the passing
thereof, or, where the enactment is a statutory instrument, of the
making thereof.

(2) Where an enactment is expressed to come into force or operation
on a particular day (whether such day is before or after the date
of the passing of such enactment, or where the enactment is a
statutory instrument, of the making thereof, and whether such day is
named in the enactment or is to be appointed or fixed or
ascertained in any other manner) the enactment shall be construed as
coming into force immediately on the expiration of the day before
that particular day.

Subs.(3) rep. by SLR 1976

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 15
Date of expiration of enactments.

15.(1) Where an enactment is expressed to expire, lapse or otherwise
cease to have effect on a particular day, the enactment shall,
except as provided by sub-section (2), be construed as ceasing to
have effect immediately on the expiration of that day.

(2) Where a Bill is introduced into any session of Parliament for
the continuance of any Act limited to expire in that session and
that Act expires before such Bill, having passed both Houses of
Parliament, receives in that session the Royal Assent, that Act
shall be deemed to have continued as fully and effectively in
operation as if such Bill had received the Royal Assent before that
Act expired.

(3) Sub-section (2) shall not operate so as to render any person
liable under the provisions of an Act which has expired to any
penalty or forfeiture by reason of any act done by him before the
date on which the Bill for the continuance of that Act, having
passed both Houses of Parliament, receives the Royal Assent.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 16
Exercise of powers before enactment comes into force.

16. Where an enactment which is not to come into force immediately
on the passing or making thereof confers power

(a)to make appointments;

(b)to hold elections;

(c)to make statutory instruments or issue statutory documents;

(d)to publish documents or give any notices;

(e)to prescribe forms;

(f)to give directions; or

(g)to do any other act or thing;

Statutory powers and duties generally.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 17

17.(1) Where an enactment confers a power or imposes a duty, the
power may be exercised and the duty shall be performed from time
to time, as occasion requires.

(2) Where an enactment confers a power to make any statutory
instrument the power shall be construed as including power,
exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like consent and
conditions, if any, to amend, alter, rescind or revoke, that
instrument and to make other statutory instruments in lieu thereof
but this sub-section shall not apply to an order which is not made
by a rule-making authority in the exercise of a statutory power
which is of a legislative character.

(3) Where an enactment empowers any person or authority to do any
act or thing, all such powers shall be deemed to be also given as
are reasonably necessary to enable that person or authority to do
that act or thing or are incidental to the doing thereof.

(4) Where an enactment authorises or requires an act or thing to
be done collectively by more than two persons, a majority of those
persons may do that act or thing, unless any quorum fixed by that
enactment or by any other transferred provision has not been formed.

(5) Any power conferred by an enactment to make a statutory
instrument or issue a statutory document may be exercised

(a)either in relation to all cases to which the power extends, or
in relation to all those cases subject to specified exceptions, or
in relation to any specified cases or classes of case; and

(b)so as to make, as respects the cases in relation to which it
is exercised

(i)the full provision to which the power extends or any less
provision (whether by way of exception or otherwise);

(ii)the same provision for all cases in relation to which the power
is exercised, or different provision for different cases or classes
of case, or different provision as respects the same case or class
of case for different purposes of the enactment;

<(iii)any such provision either unconditionally or subject to any specified condition.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 18
Provisions as to holders of offices.

18.(1) Every person who is appointed by the Crown in right of Her
Majesty's Government in Northern Ireland to any office by or under
the authority of an enactment, passed or made after the commencement
of this Act, shall hold that office during pleasure only, unless
the contrary is expressed in the enactment or in his commission or
appointment.

(2) Words in an enactment passed or made after the commencement of
this Act which authorise the appointment of a person to any office
and declare that this sub-section shall apply to that appointment
shall be deemed also to confer on the authority in whom the power
of appointment is vested

(a)power, at the discretion of the authority, to remove or suspend
him; and

(b)power, exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like
consent and conditions, if any, applicable on his appointment

(i) to reappoint or reinstate him;

(ii)to appoint another person in his stead or to act in his stead
and to provide for the remuneration of the person so appointed;

<(iii)to fix or vary his remuneration, to withhold his remuneration in whole or in part during any period of suspension from office, and to terminate his remuneration on his removal from office.

(3) In an enactment a reference, without qualification, to the
holder of any office shall include a reference to any person for
the time being holding that office and, in particular

(a)words in an enactment directing or empowering the holder of an
office to do any act or thing, or otherwise applying to him by
the name of his office, shall apply to his successors in office
and to his or their deputy;

(b)where an enactment confers a power or imposes a duty on the
holder of an office, as such, the power may be exercised and the
duty shall be performed by the person for the time being charged
with the execution of the powers and duties of the office.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 19
Effect of words of incorporation.

19.(1) Where an Act passed after the commencement of this Act
contains words establishing, or providing for the establishment of, a
body corporate and applying this section to that body those words
shall operate

(a)to vest in that body when established

(i)the power to sue in its corporate name;

(ii)the power to enter into contracts in its corporate name, and to
do so that, as regards third parties, the body shall be deemed to
have the same power to make contracts as an individual has;

<(iii)the right to have a common seal and to alter or change that seal at pleasure;

<(iv)the right to acquire and hold ... any real or personal property for purposes for which the corporation is constituted and to dispose of or charge such property at pleasure;

(v)the right to regulate its own procedure and business; and

<(vi)the right to employ such staff as may be found necessary for the performance of its functions;

(b)to make that body liable to be sued in its corporate name;

(c)to require that judicial notice shall be taken of the common
seal of that body, and that every document purporting to be a
document sealed by that body and to be attested in accordance with
the statutory provisions, if any, applicable to the attestation of
documents so sealed shall, unless the contrary is proved, be
received in evidence and be deemed to be such a document without
further proof;

(d)to vest in a majority of the members of that body the power,
subject to any quorum fixed by the enactment under which it is
established or by any relevant standing orders, to bind other
members thereof; and

(e)to exempt from personal liability for the debts, obligations or
acts of that body, such members thereof as do not contravene the
provision of the Act under which the body is established.

(2) Without prejudice to sub-section (1) of section two, the
application of this section to a body corporate shall not

(a)prevent additional powers being conferred by any enactment on that
body; or

(b)prevent the powers conferred by virtue of such application being
limited by any enactment; or

(c)prejudice or affect any liability of any member of that body to
be surcharged with the payment of any amount which may be
disallowed, by an auditor acting in pursuance of any statutory
provision, in the accounts of that body.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 20
Offences.

20.(1) Where any act or omission constitutes an offence under two
or more than two statutory provisions or under a statutory provision
and at common law, the offender shall be liable to be prosecuted
and punished under either or any of those provisions or at common
law, but shall not be liable to be punished twice for the same
offence.

(2) Where an offence under any enactment passed after the
commencement of this Act has been committed by a body corporate the
liability of whose members is limited, then notwithstanding and
without prejudice to the liability of that body, any person who at
the time of such commission was a director, general manager,
secretary or other similar officer of that body or was purporting
to act in any such capacity shall, subject to sub-section (3), be
liable to be prosecuted as if he had personally committed that
offence and shall, if on such prosecution it is proved to the
satisfaction of the court that he consented to, or connived at, or
did not exercise all such reasonable diligence as he ought in the
circumstances to have exercised to prevent the offence, having regard
to the nature of his functions in that capacity and to all the
circumstances, be liable to the like conviction and punishment as if
he had personally been guilty of that offence.

(3) A person shall not be charged under sub-section (2) [except by
or with the consent of the Attorney-General or the Director of
Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland].

(4) An enactment creating criminal liability for an act or omission
which, apart from that enactment, would give rise to civil liability
shall not operate to prejudice the civil liability ....

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 21
Rules regulating procedure of courts and tribunals.

21.(1) Where an enactment confers any jurisdiction on a court or
other tribunal or extends or varies the jurisdiction of a court or
tribunal, the authority having for the time being power to make
rules or orders regulating the practice and procedure of that court
or tribunal may make such rules or orders (including rules or
orders regulating costs, ..., witnesses and other expenses) as appear
to the authority to be necessary for regulating the practice and
procedure of such court or tribunal in the exercise of the
jurisdiction so conferred, extended or varied, and it shall not be
necessary for any other enactment to confer power on the authority
to make any rules or orders for those purposes.

(2) A county court rule or [magistrates' courts rule] which

(a)directs money to be paid out of or in aid of public funds; or

Para.(b) rep. by 1978 c.23 s.122(2) sch.7 Pt.II

(3) All such rules or orders heretofore made under any enactment
shall be deemed to have been made under this section and may be
varied or revoked accordingly.

[(4) In any enactment

"rules of court" shall mean rules of court made, or having effect
as if made, under section 55 of the Judicature (Northern Ireland)
Act 1978;

"Crown Court rules" shall mean rules made under section 52 of the
Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.]

(5) In any enactment

"county court rules" shall mean county court rules made, or having
effect as if made, by the authority having for the time being
power to make rules regulating the practice and procedure in county
courts;

["magistrates' courts rules" shall mean rules made under Part IV of
the Magistrates' Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 and shall include
any rule or order which under section twenty-six of that Act has
effect as if it was a rule so made.]

(6) References in this section to rules or orders shall include

(a)in relation to the Supreme Court, the High Court or the Court
of Appeal ..., references to rules of court;

(b)in relation to the county court ..., references to county court
rules; and

Subs.(7) rep. by 1964 c.21 (NI) s.172 sch.7

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 22
Powers of appellate courts.

22. Where an enactment provides that an appeal against any decision
or determination of a court, tribunal, authority or person (in this
section called "the original tribunal"), may be brought to any
court, that court (in this section called "the appellate court")
may, for all purposes of and incidental to hearing or determining
such appeal, exercise all the powers, authority and jurisdiction of
the original tribunal and, in addition, may

(a)confirm, reverse or vary the decision or determination of the
original tribunal;

(b)remit the appeal or any matter arising thereon to the original
tribunal with such declarations or directions as the appellate court
may think proper; or

(c)make such order as to costs and expenses as the appellate court
may think proper;

(i)it shall be the duty of the original tribunal to have regard to
all such declarations and to obey all such directions, if any, as
may be given by the appellate court pursuant to paragraph (b); and

(ii) orders made by the appellate court shall have the like effect
and may be enforced in like manner as orders made by the original
tribunal.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 23
Inquiries and investigations.

23. Where any enactment passed or made after the commencement of
this Act empowers a Minister or Ministry to cause local or other
inquiries to be held or investigations to be made, the provisions
of [Article 54 of, and Schedule 8 to, the Health and Personal
Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972], shall have effect in
relation to any such inquiry or investigation as if the references
therein to the Ministry of Health and Local Government were
references to the aforesaid Minister or Ministry and

(a)the person appointed to hold such inquiry or make such
investigation may for the purpose thereof exercise the powers
conferred on a person appointed under the said [Schedule 8]; and

(b)any such inquiry shall be held or investigation made in the
manner provided in the said [Schedule 8.]

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 24
Service of documents.

24.(1) Where an enactment authorises or requires a document to be
served by post, whether the word "serve" or any of the words
"give", "deliver" or "send" or any other word is used, the service
of the document may be effected by prepaying, registering and
posting an envelope addressed to the person on whom the document is
to be served at his usual or last known place of abode or
business and containing such document; and, unless the contrary is
proved, the document shall be deemed to have been served at the
time at which such envelope would have been delivered in the
ordinary course of post.

(2) Where an enactment authorises or requires a document to be
served on any person without directing it to be served in a
particular manner the service of that document may be effected
either

(a)by personal service; or

(b)by post in accordance with sub-section (1); or

(c)by leaving it for him with some person apparently over the age
of sixteen at his usual or last known place of abode or business;
or

(d)in the case of a corporate body or of any association of
persons (whether incorporated or not), by delivering it to the
secretary or clerk of the body or association at the registered or
principal office of the body or association or serving it by post
on such secretary or clerk at such office; or

(e)if it is not practicable after reasonable enquiry to ascertain
the name or address of an owner, lessee, or occupier of premises
on whom the document should be served, by addressing the document
to him by the description of "owner" or "lessee" or "occupier" of
the premises (naming them) to which the document relates, and by
delivering it to some person on the premises or, if there is no
person on the premises to whom it can be delivered, by affixing
it, or a copy of it, to some conspicuous part of the premises.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 25
Deviation in forms.

25. Where a form is prescribed or specified by any enactment,
deviations therefrom not materially affecting the substance nor
calculated to mislead, shall not invalidate the form used.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 26
Oaths, affirmations and declarations.

26.(1) Where any enactment passed or made after the commencement of
this Act authorises or requires evidence to be taken on oath, or
authorises or directs an oath to be made, taken or administered,
the oath may be administered, and a certificate or acknowledgment of
its having been made, taken or administered may be given, by anyone
authorised by the enactment to take the evidence, or by a judge of
any court, a notary public, or a commissioner for oaths or justice
of the peace having authority or jurisdiction in the place where
the oath is administered.

(2) In every enactment, the words "oath" and "affidavit" shall, ...,
include affirmation and declaration; and the word "swear" shall, ...,
include affirm and declare.

(3) A reference in an enactment to a statutory declaration shall be
construed as a reference to a declaration made by virtue of the
Statutory Declarations Act, 1835.

(4) A power conferred by an enactment upon a justice of the peace
to administer any oath or affirmation, or to take any affidavit or
declaration, may be exercised by a notary public or a commissioner
for oaths.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 27
Operation of declaration that provisions are to cease to have
effect.

27.(1) Where in an enactment it is declared that the whole or a
part of any transferred provision is to cease to have effect, that
transferred provision shall be deemed to have been repealed to the
extent to which it is so declared to cease to have effect.

(2) Sub-section (1) shall not be taken to prejudice the operation
of any declaration in an enactment that the whole or a part of
any transferred provision is repealed.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 28
Effect of repeal.

28.(1) The repeal of any enactment shall not be deemed to be or
to involve a declaration that such enactment was or was considered
by Parliament to have been previously in force in Northern Ireland.

(2) Where an enactment repeals or revokes a transferred provision,
the repeal or revocation shall not, save as in this section
otherwise provided

(a)revive any transferred provision or thing not in force or
existing at the time at which the repeal or revocation takes
effect;

(b)affect the previous operation of the transferred provision so
repealed or revoked, or anything duly done or suffered thereunder;

(c)affect any right, privilege, obligation or liability acquired,
accrued or incurred under the transferred provision so repealed or
revoked;

(d)affect any offence committed against the transferred provision so
repealed or revoked, or any penalty or forfeiture or punishment
incurred in respect thereof; or

(e)affect any investigation, legal proceeding or remedy in respect of
any such right, privilege, obligation, liability, penalty, forfeiture
or punishment as aforesaid;

(3) Nothing in sub-section (2) shall be taken to authorise the
continuance in force after the repeal or revocation of a transferred
provision of any instrument made under that provision.

(4) Where at any time an enactment expires, lapses or otherwise
ceases to have effect, this section shall apply as if that
enactment had then been repealed or revoked.

(5) The inclusion in the repealing provisions of any enactment of
any express saving with respect to the repeals affected thereby
shall not be taken to prejudice the operation of this section with
respect to the effect of those repeals.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 29
Effect of substituting provisions.

29.(1) Where an enactment repeals or revokes and re-enacts, with or
without modification, any transferred provision, a reference in any
other transferred provision or in any statutory instrument or
statutory document to the provision so repealed or revoked shall
without prejudice to the operation of sub-sections (2) and (3) be
construed as a reference to the provision as re-enacted.

(2) Where an enactment repeals or revokes a transferred provision
and substitutes another enactment therefor by way of amendment,
revision or consolidation

(a)all officers and persons acting under that provision shall
continue to act, as if appointed under the enactment so substituted;

(b)every bond and security given by a person appointed under that
provision shall remain in force and all offices, books, papers and
things used or made under that provision shall continue to be used
as theretofore so far as consistent with the enactment so
substituted;

(c)all proceedings taken under that provision shall be prosecuted and
continued under and in conformity with the enactment so substituted,
so far as consistently may be;

(d)in the recovery or enforcement of penalties and forfeitures
incurred, and in the enforcement of rights existing or accruing
under that provision or in any other proceedings under that
provision, the procedure established by the enactment so substituted
shall be followed so far as it can be adapted; and

(e)where any penalty, forfeiture or punishment is reduced or
mitigated by any of the provisions of the enactment so substituted,
the penalty, forfeiture or punishment, if imposed or adjudged after
such repeal or revocation, shall be reduced or mitigated accordingly.

(3) Without prejudice to sub-section (2), where an enactment repeals
or revokes a transferred provision and substitutes another enactment
therefor by way of amendment, revision or consolidation

(a)all statutory instruments or statutory documents made, issued,
confirmed or granted under that transferred provision and all
decisions, authorisations, directions, consents, applications, requests
or things made, issued, given or done thereunder shall, in so far
as they are in force at the commencement of the enactment so
substituted, and are not inconsistent therewith, have the like
effect, and the like proceedings may be had thereon and in respect
thereof as if they had been made, issued, confirmed or granted or
made, issued, given or done under the corresponding provision of the
enactment so substituted; and

(b)any reference to that transferred provision in any unrepealed or
unrevoked transferred provision shall, in relation to any subsequent
transaction, matter or thing, be construed as a reference to so
much of the enactment so substituted as relates to the same
subject-matter as that provision; and, if nothing in the enactment
so substituted relates to the same subject-matter, that provision
shall stand good, and be read and construed as unrepealed or
unrevoked in so far, and in so far only, as is necessary to
support, maintain or give effect to such unrepealed or unrevoked
transferred provision.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 30
Reprints.

30.(1) Where an enactment directs that a transferred provision is to
be reprinted, that provision shall be reprinted with

(a)the addition of any words added thereto;

(b)the substitution of any words substituted therein;

(c)the omission of any words repealed therein;

(2) For the purpose of reprinting any transferred provision, the
Clerk of the Parliaments shall prepare and certify a copy of that
provision, with the additions, substitutions and omissions referred to
in the preceding sub-section, and with the sections, sub-sections and
paragraphs numbered in accordance with the transferred provision which
makes the addition or substitution, as the case may be, and with
any renumbering, and any alteration of references, cross-headings and
marginal notes and with such other modifications necessarily
consequential on the amendments so made and may add thereto such
footnotes and additional references as appear to him necessary or
desirable to assist in explaining the reprint.

(3) The Queen's Printer shall print in accordance with the copy as
certified all copies of the enactment to be reprinted which are
printed after the passing of the enactment directing the reprint.

(4) The Speakers of both Houses of Parliament may by joint order
direct that any transferred provision shall be reprinted in
accordance with the foregoing sub-sections and where such order is
made these sub-sections shall apply as if an enactment had directed
that provision to be reprinted.

(5) Where a transferred provision is reprinted pursuant to an order
made under sub-section (4), the fact that it is so reprinted shall
be stated on the reprint.

Enactment always speaking.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 31

31.(1) Every enactment shall be construed as always speaking and if
anything is expressed in the present tense it shall be applied to
the circumstances as they occur, so that effect may be given to
each enactment according to its true spirit, intent and meaning.

(2) The expression "now", "next", "heretofore" or "hereafter" shall
be construed as referring to the time when the enactment containing
the expression came into force.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 32
Limited nature of powers, privileges or advantages granted by
enactments.

32.(1) Every enactment passed or made after the commencement of this
Act conferring any power upon, or granting any privilege or
advantage to, any person shall be construed as conferring that
power, or, as the case may be, granting that privilege or
advantage, for so long only as that enactment remains unrepealed or
unrevoked.

(2) Nothing in this section shall

(a)affect the title to any property which vested pursuant to the
provisions of an enactment in any person upon payment of
compensation; or

(b)prejudice the powers of Parliament to amend, repeal or revoke any
enactment or to modify, restrict or revoke any power, privilege or
advantage conferred or granted by an enactment.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 33
Expressions in instrument have same meaning as in enactment.

33. Where an enactment confers power to make any statutory
instrument or issue any statutory document, expressions used in the
instrument or document shall, unless a contrary intention appears,
have the same respective meanings as in the enactment.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 34
Application of interpretation provisions in enactments.

34.(1) Definitions or rules of interpretation contained in an
enactment shall apply to the construction of the provisions of the
enactment which contain those definitions or rules of interpretation,
as well as to the other provisions of the enactment.

(2) An interpretation section or provision contained in an enactment
shall be read and construed as being applicable only if a contrary
intention does not appear in the enactment.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 35
Corresponding meanings of parts of speech.

35. Where a word is defined in an enactment other parts of speech
and grammatical variations of that word shall have corresponding
meanings in that enactment.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 36
Names commonly used.

36. In an enactment, a name commonly applied to a country, place,
Government department, body, corporation, society, Minister, officer,
functionary, person, party, statutory provision, or other thing
whatsoever, shall mean the country, place, Government department,
body, corporation, society, Minister, officer, functionary, person,
party, statutory provision or thing to which the name is commonly
applied, or is commonly applied in Northern Ireland, whether or not
the name is the formal or unabbreviated designation thereof.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 37
Rules as to gender and number.

37.(1) Words in an enactment importing (whether in relation to an
offence or otherwise) persons or male persons shall include male and
female persons, corporations (whether aggregate or sole) and
unincorporated bodies of persons.

(2) In an enactment

(a)words in the singular shall include the plural; and

(b)words in the plural shall include the singular.

(3) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, a reference in an
enactment to a party aggrieved shall include a reference to a body
corporate in every case where that body is a party aggrieved.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 38
Construction of ""shall'' and ""may''.

38. In an enactment passed or made after the commencement of this
Act, the expression "shall" shall be construed as imperative and the
expression "may" as permissive and empowering.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 39
Time.

39.(1) Words in an enactment relating to time and references therein
to a point of time shall be construed as relating or referring to
Greenwich mean time, subject, however, to any statutory provision
which may for the time being provide that, during any specified
period or periods, time in Northern Ireland is to differ from
Greenwich mean time.

(2) Where in an enactment a period of time is expressed to begin
on, or to be reckoned from, a particular day, that day shall not
be included in the period.

(3) Where in an enactment a period of time is expressed to end
on, or to be reckoned to, a particular day, that day shall be
included in the period.

(4) Where the time limited by an enactment for the doing of
anything expires or falls upon a Sunday or a public holiday, the
time so limited shall extend to and the thing may be done on the
first following day that is not a Sunday or a public holiday.

(5) Sub-sections (2), (3) and (4) shall apply whether or not the
number of days concerned is expressed to be clear days.

(6) In an enactment

(a)a reference to midnight, in relation to any particular day, shall
be construed as a reference to the point of time at which that
day ends;

(b)a reference to a week-day shall be construed as a reference to
a day which is not a Sunday;

(c)a reference to a month shall be construed as a reference to a
calendar month;

(d)a reference, without qualification, to a year shall be construed
as a reference to a period of twelve months; and

(e)a reference to a financial year or to a local financial year
shall be construed as a reference to a period of twelve months
ending at midnight on the thirty-first day of March.

(7) In any enactment relating to any duty or tax in respect of
which the Parliament of Northern Ireland has power to make laws the
expression "night" shall be deemed to begin at eleven of the clock
in the evening of each day, and to end at five of the clock in
the morning of the next succeeding day.

(8) In an enactment the expression "public holiday" shall include
Christmas Day, Good Friday, any bank holiday appointed by or under
any statutory provision and any day appointed for public thanksgiving
or mourning.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 40
Distance.

40. In the measurement of any distance for the purposes of any
enactment, that distance shall be measured in a straight line on a
horizontal plane and may be determined by reference to the most
recent edition of the ordnance map available at the time of
determination unless that edition is proved incorrect as to the
particular distance which is to be determined.

Definitions for parliamentary purposes.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 41

41.(1) In an enactment the expression

["Assembly" means the Northern Ireland Assembly];

"House of Commons", when used without qualification, shall mean House
of Commons of Northern Ireland;

"Parliament", when used without qualification, shall mean Parliament
of Northern Ireland;

"Senate" shall mean the Senate of Northern Ireland.

[(2) In any Act passed after the thirtieth day of May, nineteen
hundred and fifty, "statutory period" means a period comprising

(a)ten days on which the [Assembly] has sat; or

(b)...

(c)thirty days;

(3) Where, under any Act of Parliament, a statutory instrument or
statutory document is required to be laid before Parliament, or
before the Commons House of Parliament, the delivery of a copy of
such instrument or document, as the case may be, to the Votes and
Proceedings Office on any day during the existence of a Parliament
shall for all purposes be deemed to be the laying of it before
Parliament or before the Commons House of Parliament (as the case
may be).

(4) The expression "subject to affirmative resolution" when used in
relation to any statutory instruments or statutory documents shall
mean that those instruments or documents shall not come into
operation unless and until affirmed by a resolution of each House
of Parliament.

(5) The expression "subject to affirmative resolution of the Commons"
when used in relation to any statutory instruments or statutory
documents shall mean that those instruments or documents shall not
come into operation unless and until affirmed by a resolution of
the House of Commons.

(6) The expression "subject to negative resolution" when used in
relation to any statutory instruments or statutory documents shall
mean that those instruments or documents shall, as soon as may be
after they are made, be laid before each House of Parliament, and
if either such House, within the statutory period next after any
such instrument or document has been so laid, resolves that the
instrument or document shall be annulled, the instrument or document
shall be void as from the date of the resolution, but without
prejudice to the validity of anything done thereunder or to the
making of a new instrument or document.

(7) The expression "subject to negative resolution of the Commons"
when used in relation to any statutory instruments or statutory
documents means that those instruments or documents shall, as soon
as may be after they are made, be laid before the House of
Commons and, if that House, within the statutory period next after
any such instrument or document has been so laid, resolves that the
instrument or document shall be annulled, the instrument or document
shall be void as from the date of the resolution, but without
prejudice to the validity of anything done thereunder or to the
making of a new instrument or document.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 42
Definitions for judicial purposes.

42.(1) In an enactment the expression

"Supreme Court" shall mean the Supreme Court of Judicature of
Northern Ireland;

"Court of Appeal" or "High Court of Appeal" shall mean Her
Majesty's Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland;

"High Court" shall mean Her Majesty's High Court of Justice in
Northern Ireland;

"Court of Criminal Appeal" shall mean the Court of Criminal Appeal
in Northern Ireland ...;

"court of assize" shall mean a court of assize, a court of oyer
and terminer and a court of gaol delivery or any of them and
shall include a court held in and for the county of the City of
Belfast by virtue of a commission of oyer and terminer or general
gaol delivery;

["Lands Tribunal" shall mean the Lands Tribunal for Northern
Ireland;]

["Crown Court" shall mean Her Majesty's Crown Court in Northern
Ireland;

"county court" shall mean a county court held for a division under
the County Courts [(Northern Ireland) Order 1980];]

...

["court of summary jurisdiction" or "magistrates' court" shall have
the meaning assigned to it by section one of the Magistrates'
Courts Act (Northern Ireland) 1964.]

(2) Where an enactment provides that any appeal, application,
proceeding or other matter arising thereunder may be heard or
determined by a county court, ... or a [magistrates' court,] without
specifying any particular county court ... or [magistrates' court,]
the matter may be heard and determined by such county court, ...
or [magistrates' court] (as the case may be) as may be prescribed,
in the case of a county court ... by county court rules, or in
the case of a [magistrates' court] by [magistrates' courts rules]
or, if no such court is so prescribed, by the county court, ...
or [magistrates' court] (as the case may be) having jurisdiction
over the whole or any part of the division or district or place
in which the matter arises or, if the matter relates to any
premises, in which those premises are situated.

(3) In an enactment the expression

"Lord Chief Justice" shall mean the Lord Chief Justice of Northern
Ireland;

"Chancery Judge" shall mean the Judge of the High Court to whom
the business and matters arising in the chancery jurisdiction of
that court are for the time being assigned;

"county court judge" shall include ... a recorder ...; and

["Probate Judge" shall mean the Judge of the High Court to whom
probate business and matters are for the time being assigned.]

(4) In an enactment the expression

"appeal summarily" shall mean appeal, in accordance with [magistrates'
courts rules,] to a court of summary jurisdiction;

Definition rep. by 1975 NI 7 art.13 sch.2; 1978 c.23 s.122(2) sch.7
Pt.II

"committed for trial" shall mean committed by a court, judge,
resident magistrate, ..., justice of the peace or other authority
having power to commit a person in custody with a view to his
trial, and shall include committed on bail upon a recognizance to
appear and stand trial before a judge and jury;

"Summary Jurisdiction Acts" shall mean the statutory provisions for
the time being in force in Northern Ireland in relation to summary
jurisdiction;

"summary conviction" shall mean conviction subject to and in
accordance with the Summary Jurisdiction Acts.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 43
Definitions for official purposes.

43.(1) In an enactment the expression

"Admiralty" shall mean the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom
or the Commissioners for executing the office of the Lord High
Admiral of the United Kingdom;

"Bank of England" shall mean, as the circumstances require, the
Governor and Company of the Bank of England or the Bank of the
Governor and Company of the Bank of England;

"Bank of Ireland" shall mean, as the circumstances require, the
Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland or the Bank of the
Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland;

"Board of Trade" shall mean the Lords of the Committee of the
Privy Council appointed for the consideration of matters relating to
trade and foreign plantations;

"British Islands" shall mean the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands,
the Isle of Man and the Republic of Ireland;

"consular officer" shall include consul-general, consul, vice-consul,
consular agent, and any person authorised to discharge the duties of
consul-general, consul, or vice-consul;

"Governor" shall mean the Governor of Northern Ireland;

"Lord Chancellor" shall mean the Lord High Chancellor of Great
Britain;

"National Debt Commissioners" shall mean the Commissioners for the
Reduction of the National Debt;

"Postmaster General" shall mean Her Majesty's Postmaster General;

"Privy Council" shall mean, except when used with reference to
Northern Ireland only, the Lords and others of Her Majesty's Most
Honourable Privy Council, and when used with reference to Northern
Ireland only, shall mean the Privy Council of Northern Ireland;

"Secretary of State" shall mean one of Her Majesty's Principal
Secretaries of State;

"Treasury" shall mean the Lord High Treasurer or the Commissioners
of Her Majesty's Treasury;

"United Kingdom" shall mean the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland.

(2) In an enactment the expression

"Attorney-General" shall mean the Attorney-General for Northern
Ireland;

"authorised analyst" shall include the government chemist and any
public analyst;

Definition rep. by 1976 NI 23 art.17(2) sch.3

"Commissioner of Valuation" shall mean the officer [appointed under
Article 36 of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 to be the
Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland];

"consolidated fund" shall mean the consolidated fund of Northern
Ireland;

"constable" except when used in enactments relating to the pay or
pensions of or the general administration of the Royal Ulster
Constabulary [or the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve], shall include
any member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, [ any reserve
constable], any member of any Harbour, Transport or Railway Police
or of the Naval, Military or Royal Air Force Police and any other
person having for the time being the powers of a constable;

"county inspector" shall include a commissioner of police for any
county borough and any officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
having the rank of county inspector;

"exchequer" shall mean the exchequer of Northern Ireland;

"government chemist" shall mean the officer appointed under section
two of the Administrative Provisions Act (Northern Ireland), 1928, to
be the government chemist for Northern Ireland;

"Great Seal" shall mean the Great Seal of Northern Ireland and
shall include the Wafer Great Seal where the use of that Seal has
been authorised under section three of the Northern Ireland
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1945;

"Inspector General" shall mean the Inspector General of the Royal
Ulster Constabulary;

"member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary" shall include any officer,
head-constable, sergeant, constable or other member of that force,
...;

"Pharmacy Inspector" and "Pharmacy Registrar" shall mean respectively
[the Pharmacy Inspector appointed under Article 24(1), and the
registrar appointed under Article 9(1), of the Pharmacy (Northern
Ireland) Order 1976;]

["Poisons Inspector" means [the Poisons Inspector appointed under
Article 16 of the Poisons (Northern Ireland) Order 1976;]]

"public analyst" shall mean a public analyst appointed under the
Sale of Food and Drugs Acts (Northern Ireland), 1875 to 1939;

"Queen's Printer" shall mean the officer appointed to print Acts;

["regional rate" means a rate made by the Department of Finance
under the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977;]

"registered pharmacist" shall mean a person registered in the
register of pharmaceutical chemists in pursuance of [the Pharmacy
(Northern Ireland) Order 1976;]

["reserve constable" means a person appointed a reserve constable
under section 9 of the Police Act (Northern Ireland) 1970;]

"weights and measures inspector" shall mean [a chief or other
inspector of weights and measures within the meaning of the Weights
and Measures (Northern Ireland) Order 1981].

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 44
Definitions for local government purposes.

44. In an enactment the expression

"borough" when used in relation to local government, shall mean a
municipal borough, and, when used in relation to parliamentary
elections or the registration of parliamentary electors, shall mean a
parliamentary borough;

["chairman", when used in relation to a district council, shall
include a mayor or lord mayor, and "ice-chairman', when so used,
shall include a deputy mayor or deputy lord mayor;

"councillor" shall include an alderman;

"district", when used in relation to local government, shall mean a
local government district within the meaning of section 1 of the
Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and shall include a
district which is a borough;

"district council" shall mean the council of a district;]

["district rate" means a rate made by a district council under the
Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977;]

["local government auditor" shall mean a person appointed as such
under section 74 of the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland)
1972;]

"municipal borough" shall mean any [district for which a charter of
incorporation of inhabitants, or a charter designating the district a
borough, is in force, and shall include a borough which is a
city];

"parliamentary borough" shall mean any borough or place or
combination of places returning a member or members to serve in
Parliament not being a county or division of a county or a
university.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 45
References relating to land.

45.(1) In any enactment passed after the commencement of this Act
the expression

(a)"land" shall include

(i)messuages, tenements and hereditaments of any tenure;

(ii)land covered by water;

<(iii)any estate in land or water; and

<(iv)houses or other buildings or structures whatsoever;

(b)"registered land" shall mean land the title to which is
registered under [Part III of the Land Registration Act (Northern
Ireland) 1970]; and

(c)"unregistered land" shall mean land the title to which is not
registered under [Part III of the Land Registration Act (Northern
Ireland) 1970].

(2) In any enactment passed after the commencement of this Act
"estate", when used with reference to land, includes any legal or
equitable estate or interest, easement, right, title, claim, demand,
charge, lien or encumbrance in, over, to or in respect of the
land.

(3) Where an enactment passed after the commencement of this Act
provides that a person may dispose of land, that person may deal
with the land in any of the following ways

(a)sell it;

(b)lease, let it or grant it in fee farm;

(c)exchange it, giving or receiving money for equality of exchange;

(d)if leasehold, surrender it;

(e)grant a licence to use it for any purpose or for such purposes
as are mentioned in the licence; or

(f)grant (by way of sale, lease, letting or licence) any easement,
profit or right in respect of it.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 46
Miscellaneous definitions.

46.(1) In an enactment the expression

"commencement" when used with reference to any statutory provision
shall mean the time at which that provision comes into operation;

"contravention" shall include in relation to any statutory provision,
a failure to comply with that provision;

"Land Clauses Acts" shall mean the Lands Clauses Consolidation Act,
1845, the Lands Clauses Consolidation Acts Amendment Act, 1860, the
Railways Act (Ireland), 1851, the Railways Act (Ireland), 1860, the
Railways Act (Ireland), 1864, ..., the Acquisition of Land
(Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, section two of the Repeal of
Unnecessary Laws Act (Northern Ireland), 1953, and every statutory
provision for the time being in force amending those provisions or
any of them;

"ordnance map" shall mean a map made under the powers conferred by
the Survey (Ireland) Acts, 1825 to 1870;

"owner" in relation to any land shall include any person who under
the Lands Clauses Acts would have power to sell and convey that
land to the promoters of an undertaking;

"Republic of Ireland" shall mean the territory which, in accordance
with the provisions of the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act, 1922,
and the Irish Free State Constitution Act, 1922 (Session 2), was
required to be styled and known as the Irish Free State;

"signature" and "signed" shall include and apply to the making of a
mark;

"Valuation Acts" shall mean the transferred provisions relating to
the valuation of rateable property in Northern Ireland;

"will" shall include codicil;

"writing", "written" or any term of like import shall include words
typewritten, printed, painted, engraved, lithographed, photographed or
represented or reproduced by any mode of representing or reproducing
words in a visible form.

(2) In an enactment passed or made after the commencement of this
Act the expression

"access" shall include ingress, egress and regress;

"act" where used in reference to an offence or civil wrong shall
include a series of acts, and words so used which refer to acts
done shall extend to omissions;

"arbitrator" when used in relation to any matter referred to
arbitration under and in accordance with the provisions of the
Arbitration Act (Northern Ireland), 1937, shall include an umpire
appointed under those provisions;

"assets" shall include property or rights of any kind;

"barrister-at-law" shall mean any person admitted or entitled to
practise as a member of the Bar of Northern Ireland;

"constitutional laws of Northern Ireland" shall mean the Government
of Ireland Act, 1920, and the statutory provisions amending or
extending it or otherwise relating to or affecting the legislative
powers of Parliament;

"costs" shall include fees, charges, disbursements, expenses or
remuneration;

"fault" shall mean wrongful act or default;

"functions" shall include jurisdictions, powers and duties;

"goods" shall mean all kinds of movable property including animals;

"individual" shall mean a natural person and shall not include a
corporation;

"movable property" shall mean property of every description (including
growing crops) except immovable property;

"registry of deeds" shall mean the registry maintained in Northern
Ireland under the Registration of Deeds Acts;

["Registration of Deeds Acts" shall mean the Registration of Deeds
Act (Northern Ireland) 1970 and every statutory provision for the
time being in force amending that Act or otherwise relating to the
registry of deeds, or to the registration of deeds, orders or other
instruments or documents in such registry;]

"statute of limitation" shall mean any statutory provision in force
in Northern Ireland prescribing a period within which any civil
proceeding to which such provision relates is required to be
brought, but shall not include a provision prescribing a period
within which any criminal proceedings (including proceedings to
recover any penalty imposed as a punishment for a criminal offence)
is to be brought.

Citation of statutory provisions, etc.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 47

47.(1) Any Act passed after the first day of January, nineteen
hundred and forty-three, may be cited by reference to the calendar
year in which it was passed and its chapter in that year.

(2) Without prejudice to sub-section (1), any statutory provision may
be cited in any manner in which it could have been cited before
the commencement of this Act.

(3) A reference in an enactment to a statutory provision shall be
construed as referring, in relation to statutes included in any
revised edition of the statutes purporting to be printed by
authority, to that edition, and in relation to statutes not so
included, and passed before the reign of King George the First, to
the edition prepared under the direction of the Record Commission,
and, in relation to other statutes, to copies of the statutes
purporting to be printed under the superintendence or authority of
Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

(4) In an enactment every description of or citation from any
statutory provision or from any document shall be construed as
including the word, sub-section, section, or other portion mentioned
or referred to as forming the beginning or as forming the end of
the portion comprised in the description or citation or as being
the point from which or to which such portion extends.

Repeals, etc.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 48

48. Subs.(1) rep. by SLR 1973

(2) Without prejudice to sub-section (1), the Interpretation Act,
1889, shall cease to apply to the interpretation of enactments.

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 49
Saving.

49. The provisions of this Act which are expressed to apply to
enactments passed or made after the commencement of this Act shall
not affect the construction of any enactment passed before such
commencement, although such enactment is continued or amended by an
enactment passed after such commencement.

S.50 rep. by SLR 1973

INTERPRETATION ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1954 - SECT 51
Short title.

51. This Act may be cited as the Interpretation Act (Northern
Ireland), 1954.

Schedule rep. by SLR 1973

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