Laois County Council

Last updated

Laois County Council

Comhairle Chontae Laoise
Laois Coat of Arms.png
Type
Type
Leadership
Pádraig Fleming, FF
Structure
Seats19
Laois County Council composition.svg
Political groups
  Fianna Fáil  (6)
  Fine Gael  (5)
  Labour  (1)
  Independent  (7)
Elections
Last election
 7 June 2024
Motto
Irish: I bpáirt leis an bpobal
"In partnership with the community"
Meeting place
Laois County Council, 2021-07-21, 02.jpg
Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise
Website
Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
The area governed by the council Laois in Ireland.svg
The area governed by the council

Laois County Council (Irish : Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the local authority of County Laois, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The council has 19 elected members. Elections are held every five years and are by single transferable vote. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach (chairperson). The county administration is headed by a chief executive, John Mulholland. The county town is Portlaoise.

Contents

History

Laois County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Laois, then called Queen's County. [1] [2] It included the judicial county of Queen's County except for the part in the town of Carlow, which became part of the administrative county of County Carlow. [3]

Meetings were originally held in Portlaoise Courthouse. After the courthouse became inadequate, a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall was built in May 1982. [4] [5] [6]

Regional Assembly

Laois County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee. [7]

Elections

Members of Laois County Council are elected for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) from multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).

Year FG FF SF Lab PDs Ind Total
2024 5621—519
2019 7621—319
2014 6721—319
2009 12811—325
2004 911111225
1999 1014010125
1991 913011125
1985 91401—125
1979 121102—025
1974 121102—025

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Laois is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions. [8]

Municipal District and LEADefinitionSeats
Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick Aghmacart, Arderin, Ballybrophy, Ballyfin, Borris-in-Ossory, Brisha, Caher, Capard, Cappalough, Cardtown, Castlecuffe, Castletown, Clash, Clonaslee, Clonin, Clonmore, Coolrain, Cuffsborough, Cullahill, Dangans, Donaghmore, Donore, Dunmore, Durrow, Errill, Garrymore, Graigue, Grantstown, Kilcoke, Kildellig, Killermogh, Kilnaseer, Kyle, Kyle South, Lacka, Marymount, Meelick, Moneenalassa, Moneymore, Mountmellick Rural, Mountmellick Urban, Mountrath, Nealstown, OMoresforest, Rathdowney, Rathsaran, Rearymore, Rosenallis, Tinnahinch and Trumra.6
Graiguecullen–Portarlington Ardough, Arless, Ballickmoyler, Ballyadams, Ballybrittas, Ballycarroll, Ballylehane, Ballylynan, Barrowhouse, Curraclone, Doonane, Emo, Farnans, Fossy, Graigue Rural, Jamestown, Killabban, Kilmullen, Kilmurry, Luggacurren, Moyanna, Newtown, Portarlington South, Rathaspick, Rossmore, Sallyford, Shrule, Stradbally, Tankardstown, Timahoe, Timogue, Turra and Vicarstown.6
Portlaoise Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Blandsfort, Borris, Clondarrig, Clonkeen, Colt, Cullenagh, Dysartgallen, Kilcolmanbane, Portlaoighise Rural, Portlaoighise Urban, Raheen and Shaen.7

Current councillors

The following were elected at the 2024 Laois County Council election.

PartySeats
Fianna Fáil 6
Fine Gael 5
Sinn Féin 2
Labour 1
Independent 5

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024. [9]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area NameParty
Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick Conor Bergin Fine Gael
James Kelly Independent
Paddy Bracken Fianna Fáil
John King Fine Gael
Ollie Clooney Independent
Séamus McDonald Fianna Fáil
Graiguecullen–Portarlington Aidan Mullins [a] Sinn Féin
Paschal McEvoy Fianna Fáil
Ben Brennan Independent
Pádraig Fleming Fianna Fáil
Aisling Moran Independent
Vivienne Phelan Fine Gael
Portlaoise William Aird [b] Fine Gael
Caroline Dwane-Stanley [a] Sinn Féin
Tommy Mulligan Independent
John Joe Fennelly Fianna Fáil
Catherine Fitzgerald Fianna Fáil
Barry Walsh Fine Gael
Marie Tuohy Labour
Notes
  1. 1 2 Changed party, see table below for details.
  2. ↑ Replaced during term, see table below for details.

Co-options

PartyOutgoingLEAReasonDateCo-optee
Fine Gael William Aird PortlaoiseElected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election 8 December 2024Paddy Buggy [10]

Changes in affiliation

NameLEAElected asNew affiliationDate
Aidan MullinsGraiguecullen–Portarlington Sinn Féin Independent 28 August 2024 [11]
Caroline Dwane-StanleyPortlaoise Sinn Féin Independent 27 December 2024 [12]

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References

  1. ↑ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , s. 1: Establishment of county councils ( 61 & 62 Vict.,c. 37 of 1898, s. 1 ). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament .Retrieved from Irish Statute Book .
  2. ↑ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 , s. 124: Commencement of Act ( 61 & 62 Vict.,c. 37 of 1898, s. 124 ). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament .Retrieved from Irish Statute Book .
  3. ↑ "Orders declaring the boundaries of administrative counties and defining county electoral divisions: Queen's County". 27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480). Dublin: Local Government Board for Ireland. 1900. p. 303.
  4. ↑ "Our town c. 1850 - 2000". Portlaoise Pictures. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "Survey of Architectural Heritage of Port Laoise" (PDF). Laois County Council. 1 December 2008. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  6. ↑ "1979 Election Memories: The men in suits, the dealing in Donoghues, and Charlie McDonald loses out to Paddy Lalor for Europe". Laoise Today. 24 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  7. ↑ Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, Article 5 and Schedule 3 ( S.I. No. 573 of 2014 ). Signed on 16 December 2014. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland .Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 1 May 2023.
  8. ↑ County of Laois Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 ( S.I. No. 622 of 2018 ). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland . Archived from the original on 2 February 2019.Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 24 April 2020.
  9. ↑ "Laois County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News . Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  10. ↑ Miller, Steven (12 December 2024). "Paddy Buggy to be co-opted unopposed to Laois County Council replace Willie Aird". Laois Today. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "Sinn Féin councillor resigns claiming he was 'silenced' on migration". Irish Independent. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  12. ↑ "Councillor Caroline Dwane-Stanley resigns from Sinn Féin". RTÉ. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
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