1. — (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

“ compensation order ” and “ injured party ” have the meanings assigned to them by section 6 ;

“ imprisonment ” includes detention in Saint Patrick's Institution;

“ sentence ” includes a sentence of imprisonment and any other order made by a court in dealing with a convicted person other than—

(a) an order under section 17 of the Lunacy (Ireland) Act, 1821, or section 2 (2) of the Trial of Lunatics Act, 1883, or

(b) an order postponing sentence for the purpose of obtaining a medical or psychiatric report or a report by a probation officer;

“ sentencing court ” means the court referred to in section 2 (1).

(2) References in sections 2 (1) and 4 (1) to conviction of a person on indictment include references to conviction of a person after signing a plea of guilty and being sent forward for sentence under section 13 (2) (b) of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1967.

(3) This Act shall not apply to sentences imposed on persons convicted before its commencement.

(4) In this Act—

(a) a reference to a section is a reference to a section of this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended, and

(b) a reference to a subsection or paragraph is a reference to the subsection or paragraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended.