In this Act -

"the Act of 1967" means the Redundancy Payments Act, 1967;

"civil servant" has the same meaning as in the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956;

"Department" has the same meaning as in the Public Service Management Act 1997;

"employee" means an individual who has entered into or works under a contract with an employer, whether the contract be for manual labour, clerical work or otherwise, whether it be expressed or implied, oral or in writing, and whether it be a contract of service or of apprenticeship or otherwise, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;

"lay-off" has the meaning assigned to it by the Act of 1967;

"lock-out" has the meaning assigned to it by Part II of the Act of 1967;

"Minister" means the Minister for Industry and Commerce;

"prescribed" means prescribed by regulations made by the Minister under this Act;