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(1)This Act extends to Northern Ireland so far as it applies to Acts or subordinate legislation which so extend.
(2)In the application of this Act to Acts passed or subordinate legislation made after the commencement of this Act, all references to an enactment include an enactment comprised in Northern Ireland legislation whenever passed or made; and in relation to such legislation references to the passing or repeal of an enactment include the making or revocation of an Order in Council.
(3)In the application of section 14 to Acts passed after the commencement of this Act which extend to Northern Ireland, “statutory instrument” includes statutory rule for the purposes of the [F1M1Statutory Rules (Northern Ireland) Order 1979].
[F2(3A)Section 20A applies to Northern Ireland legislation as it applies to Acts.]
(4)The following definitions contained in Schedule 1, namely those of—
F3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Communities and related expressions;
The Corporation Tax Acts;
[F4EEA agreement and EEA state;]
The Income Tax Acts;
The Tax Acts,
apply, unless the contrary intention appears, to Northern Ireland legislation as they apply to Acts.
(5)In this section “Northern Ireland legislation” means—
(a)Acts of the Parliament of Ireland;
(b)Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland;
(c)Orders in Council under section 1(3) of the M2Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972;
[F5(d)Measures of the Northern Ireland Assembly established under section 1 of the M3Northern Ireland Assembly Act 1973;
(e)Orders in Council under Schedule 1 to the M4Northern Ireland Act 1974;
(f)Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly; and
(g)Orders in Council under section 85 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.]
F1Words substituted by S.I. 1979/1573 (N.I. 12), Sch. 4 para. 25
F2S. 24(3A) inserted (8.1.2007) by Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c. 51), ss. 25(3), 33
F3Words repealed by British Nationality Act 1981 (c. 61, SIF 87), s. 52(8), Sch. 9
F4Words in s. 24(4) inserted (8.1.2007) by Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c. 51), ss. 26(2), 33
F5S. 24(5)(d)-(g) substituted for s. 24(5)(d)(e) (2.12.1999) by 1998 c. 47, s. 99, Sch. 13 para. 3 (with s. 95); S.I. 1999/3209, art. 2, Sch.
C1S. 24 extended by Northern Ireland Act 1982 (c. 38, SIF 29:3), s. 6, Sch. 2 para. 7(2)
M1S.I. 1979/1573 (N.I. 12).
M21972 c. 22.
M31973 c.17.
M41974 c.28.
X1(1)The enactments described in Schedule 3 are repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.
(2)Without prejudice to section 17(2)(a), a reference to the M1Interpretation Act 1889, to any provision of that Act or to any other enactment repealed by this Act, whether occurring in another Act, in subordinate legislation, in Northern Ireland legislation or in any deed or other instrument or document, shall be construed as referring to this Act, or to the corresponding provision of this Act, as it applies to Acts passed at the time of the reference.
(3)The provisions of this Act relating to Acts passed after any particular time do not affect the construction of Acts passed before that time, though continued or amended by Acts passed thereafter.
M11889 c. 63.
X1The text of s. 25(1), Sch. 3 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any repeals or amendments which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991
This Act shall come into force on 1st January 1979.
This Act may be cited as the Interpretation Act 1978.
Interpretation Act 1978