Longford County Council

Last updated

Longford County Council

Comhairle Chontae an Longfoirt
Longford Coat of Arms.png
Longford County Council logo.svg
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1899
Leadership
Garry Murtagh, FG
Structure
Seats18
Longford County Council composition.svg
Political groups
  Fianna Fáil  (8)
  Fine Gael  (8)
  Independent  (2)
Elections
Last election
7 June 2024
Motto
Daingean agus Dílis (Irish)
"Strong and Loyal"
Meeting place
County Hall, Longford - 2024-12-27 03.jpg
Áras an Chontae, Longford
Website
Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
The area governed by the council Longford in Ireland.svg
The area governed by the council

Longford County Council (Irish : Comhairle Chontae an Longfoirt) is the local authority of County Longford, 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 18 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, Paddy Mahon. The county town is Longford.

Contents

History

Longford County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Longford, succeeding the former judicial county of Longford. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Originally meetings of Longford County Council were held at Longford Courthouse in the Main Street [5] and the county secretary's office was subsequently established in Dublin Road. [6] The county council meetings and county administration moved to modern facilities at the new County Hall in Great Water Street in 1992. [7]

Regional Assembly

Longford County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee. [8]

Elections

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 introduced the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) for the 1920 Irish local elections. [9] [10] This electoral system has been retained, with the 18 members of Longford County Council elected for a five-year term of office from multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).

Year FG FF PDs RSF Ind Total
2024 880218
2019 960318
2014 870318
2009 1080321
2004 11800221
1999 10811121
1991 8901321
1985 910221

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

The LEAs and the municipal districts are defined by electoral divisions. [11]

LEA and Municipal districtElectoral divisionsSeats
Ballymahon Agharra, Ardagh East, Ardagh West, Ballymahon, Ballymuigh, Cashel East, Cashel West, Doory, Forgney, Foxhall, Kilcommock, Kilglass, Killashee, Ledwithstown, Meathas Truim (Edgeworthstown), Mountdavis, Moydow and Rathcline6
Granard Abbeylara, Aghaboy, Ballinalee, Ballinamuck East, Ballinamuck West, Bunlahy, Columbkille, Coolamber, Creevy, Crosagstown, Currygrane, Dalystown, Drumgort, Drumlish, Drummeel, Firry, Gelshagh, Granard Rural, Granard Urban, Killoe, Knockanbaun, Lislea, Milltown, Moatfarrell, Moyne, Mullanalaghta, Newgrove and Sonnagh5
Longford Breanrisk, Caldragh, Cloondara, Cloonee, Corboy, Longford No. 1 Urban, Longford No. 2 Urban, Longford Rural and Newtown Forbes7

Councillors

2024 seats summary

PartySeats
Fianna Fáil 8
Fine Gael 8
Independent 2

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024 at the 2024 Longford County Council election. [12]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area NameParty
Ballymahon Paul Ross Fine Gael
Mick Cahill Fianna Fáil
Pat O'Toole Fianna Fáil
Mark Casey Independent
Sean Mimnagh Fianna Fáil
Martin Skelly Fine Gael
Granard Garry Murtagh Fine Gael
Turlough McGovern Independent
Paraic Brady Fine Gael
Pádraig McNamara Fine Gael
David Cassidy Fianna Fáil
Longford Gerry Hagan Fine Gael
Martin Monaghan Fianna Fáil
Séamus Butler Fianna Fáil
Peggy Nolan Fine Gael
Niall Gannon Fine Gael
Kevin Hussey Fianna Fáil
Uruemu Adejinmi Fianna Fáil

References

  1. "Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (c. 37)". legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives.
  2. 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 .
  3. 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 .
  4. "Orders declaring the boundaries of administrative counties and defining county electoral divisions: County of Longford". 27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480). Dublin: Local Government Board for Ireland. 1900. pp. 288–291.
  5. White, Robert William (2006). Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: The Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionary. Indiana University Press. p. 13. ISBN   978-0253347084. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  6. "Details of Local Authorities in Ireland". 8 October 2003. Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  7. "Topographical information. In Sarah Gearty, Martin Morris and Fergus O'Ferrall, Irish Historic Towns Atlas, no. 22, Longford" (PDF). Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. 2010. pp. 1–19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2019.
  8. 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.
  9. "Appendix: Local Electoral Areas". Annual report of the Local Government Board for Ireland for year 1921. Local Government Board for Ireland. 1921. p. 17.
  10. "Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 (c. 19)" (PDF). legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives.
  11. County of Longford Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 ( S.I. No. 625 of 2018 ). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland . Archived from the original on 3 February 2019.Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 6 September 2020.
  12. "Longford County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News . Retrieved 12 June 2024.