PART 1

Preliminary and General

Short title, commencement and collective citation.

1 .— (1) This Act may be cited as the Prisons Act 2007.

(2) This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be so appointed for different purposes or provisions.

(3) This Act and the Prisons Acts 1826 to 1980 may be cited together as the Prisons Acts 1826 to 2007.

Interpretation (general).

2 .— In this Act—

“ governor ” means the governor of a prison or an officer of the prison acting on his or her behalf;

“ Minister ” means the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform;

“ prison ” means a place of custody administered by or on behalf of the Minister (other than a Garda Síochána station) and includes—

(a) St. Patrick’s Institution,

(b) a place provided under section 2 of the Prisons Act 1970 ,

(c) a place specified under section 3 of the Prisons Act 1972 ;

“ prisoner ” means a person who is ordered by a court to be detained in a prison and includes a prisoner who is in lawful custody outside a prison;

“ prison rules ” means any rules for the government of prisons made under section 35 or other enactment and in force at a material time.

Expenses.

3 .— The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Finance, be paid out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas.