Clare County Council

Local authority for County Clare, Ireland

Clare County Council

Comhairle Contae an Chláir

Type
Type|

County council

Leadership

Cathaoirleach

Paul Murphy, FG

Structure
Seats| 28

Political groups

Fianna Fáil (14)
Fine Gael (9)
Sinn Féin (2)
Independent (3)
Elections

Last election

| 7 June 2024
Motto
Dílis d'ar nOidreacht (Irish)
"True to our Heritage"
Meeting place
Áras Contae an Chláir, Ennis
Website
Official website
The area governed by the council

Clare County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae an Chláir) is the local authority of County Clare, 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 28 elected members who are elected for a five-year term. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach (chairperson). The county administration is headed by a chief executive, Pat Dowling. The county town is Ennis.

## History

[edit]

Clare County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Clare, succeeding in area of the former judicial county of Clare, with the addition of the district electoral divisions of Drummaan, Inishcaltra North, and Mountshannon, formerly within the judicial county of County Galway.[1][2][3]

Originally meetings of Clare County Council were held at Ennis Courthouse.[4] Áras Contae an Chláir, a new county council headquarters, was completed in May 2008.[5]

## Regional Assembly

[edit]

Clare County Council has two representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the Mid-West Strategic Planning Area Committee.[6][7]

## Elections

[edit]

Members of Clare 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.

Year  |  | FF |  | FG |  | SF |  | GP |  | Lab |  | PDs |  | Ind | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

2024 | 14  | 9  | 2  | 0  | 0  | —  | 3  | 28
2019 | 13  | 8  | 1  | 1  | 0  | —  | 5  | 28
2014 | 12  | 8  | 1  | 0  | 0  | —  | 7  | 28
2009 | 11  | 12  | 0  | 1  | 1  | —  | 7  | 32
2004 | 15  | 10  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 0  | 5  | 32
1999 | 18  | 9  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 4  | 32
1991 | 17  | 8  | 0  | 0  | 1  | 1  | 5  | 32
1985 | 17  | 8  | 0  | 0  | 2  | —  | 5  | 32
1979 | 17  | 9  | 1  | —  | 2  | —  | 2  | 31

### Local electoral areas and municipal districts

[edit]

County Clare is divided into the following local electoral areas and municipal districts, defined by electoral divisions.[8]

Municipal District  | LEA  | Definition  | Seats

|
|
|

Ennis | Clareabbey, Doora, Ennis No. 1 Urban, Ennis No. 2 Urban, Ennis No. 3 Urban, Ennis No. 4 Urban, Ennis Rural, Kilnamona, Kilraghtis, Spancelhill and Templemaley  | 7
Killaloe | Ayle, Ballyblood, Ballynahinch, Boherglass, Caher, Caherhurly, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Scarriff), Cappaghabaun, Carrowbaun, Castlecrine, Cloghera, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Tulla), Cloontra, Cloonusker, Coolreagh, Corlea, Crusheen, Dangan, Derrynagittagh, Drummaan, Fahymore, Feakle, Glendree, Inishcaltra North, Inishcaltra South, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Killanena, Killokennedy, Killuran, Kilseily, Kiltannon, Kyle, Lackareagh, Loughea, Mountshannon, Newgrove, OBriensbridge, Ogonnelloe, Quin, Rathclooney, Rossroe, Scarriff, Toberbreeda, Tomfinlough and Tulla  | 5
Shannon | Ballycannan, Ballyglass, Cappavilla, Clenagh, Cratloe, Drumline, Killeely, Kiltenanlea, Mountievers, Newmarket, Sixmilebridge and Urlan  | 7
West Clare  | Ennistymon | Abbey, Ballagh, Ballyea, Ballyeighter, Ballysteen, Ballyvaskin, Boston, Carran, Castletown, Cloghaun, Cloonanaha, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Ennistimon), Corrofin, Derreen, Drumcreehy, Dysert, Ennistimon, Gleninagh, Glenroe, Kilfenora, Killaspuglonane, Killilagh, Killinaboy, Kilshanny, Kiltoraght, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna, Lurraga, Magherareagh, Milltown Malbay, Mount Elva, Moy, Muckanagh, Noughaval, Oughtmama, Rath, Rathborney, Ruan and Smithstown  | 4
Kilrush | Annagh, Ballynacally, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Clondagad, Cloonadrum, Clooncoorha, Coolmeen, Cooraclare, Creegh, Doonbeg, Drumellihy, Einagh, Formoyle, Furroor, Glenmore, Kilballyowen, Kilchreest, Kilcloher, Kilfearagh, Kilfiddane, Kilkee, Killadysert, Killanniv, Killard, Killimer, Killofin, Killone, Kilmihil, Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Killadysert), Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Kilrush Rural, Kilrush Urban, Kinturk, Knock, Knocknaboley, Knocknagore, Liscasey, Lisheen, Moveen, Moyarta, Mullagh, Querrin, Rahona, Rinealon, St. Martins, Tullig and Tullycreen  | 5

## Current councillors

[edit]

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

Party  | Seats

|

| Fianna Fáil | 14
| Fine Gael | 9
| Sinn Féin | 2
| Independent | 3

### Councillors by electoral area

[edit]

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

Council members from 2024 election

Local electoral area  | Name  | Party
Ennis | Pat Daly |  |  Fianna Fáil
Mary Howard |  |  Fine Gael
Paul Murphy |  |  Fine Gael
Clare Colleran Molloy |  |  Fianna Fáil
Tommy Guilfoyle |  |  Sinn Féin
Antoinette Baker Bashua |  |  Fianna Fáil
Tom O'Callaghan |  |  Fianna Fáil
Ennistymon | Bill Slattery |  |  Fine Gael
Joe Garrihy |  |  Fine Gael
Shane Talty |  |  Fianna Fáil
Joe Killeen |  |  Fianna Fáil
Killaloe | Joe Cooney[a] |  |  Fine Gael
Pat Hayes |  |  Fianna Fáil
Alan O'Callaghan |  |  Fianna Fáil
Tony O'Brien |  |  Fianna Fáil
Pat Burke |  |  Fine Gael
Kilrush | Dinny Gould |  |  Independent
Rita McInerney |  |  Fianna Fáil
Ian Lynch |  |  Independent
Michael Shannon |  |  Fianna Fáil
Gabriel Keating |  |  Fine Gael
Shannon | David Griffin |  |  Fianna Fáil
Donna McGettigan[a] |  |  Sinn Féin
John Crowe |  |  Fine Gael
Rachel Hartigan |  |  Fianna Fáil
Pat O'Gorman |  |  Fianna Fáil
Tony Mulcahy |  |  Fine Gael
Michael Begley |  |  Independent

Notes

1. ^ a b Replaced during term, see table below for details.

#### Co-options

[edit]

Party  | Outgoing  | LEA  | Reason  | Date  | Co-optee

|
|
|
|
|

|  Sinn Féin | Donna McGettigan | Shannon  | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 10 December 2024  | James Ryan[10]
|  Fine Gael | Joe Cooney | Killaloe  | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election  | 19 December 2024  | Conor Ryan[11]

## References

[edit]

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: County of Clare". 27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480). Dublin: Local Government Board for Ireland. 1900. p. 246.
4. ^ "Local Authorities – Dáil Éireann (23rd Dáil)". Oireachtas. 26 May 1982. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
5. ^ "Winning Design". World Architecture News. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
6. ^ 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 20 April 2023.
7. ^ "The Assembly: Mid-West". Southern Regional Assembly. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
8. ^ County of Clare Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 612 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 21 January 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 19 January 2019.
9. ^ "Clare County Council". RTÉ News. June 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
10. ^ McMahon, Pádraic (10 December 2024). "Westbury based James Ryan chosen to take McGettigan's seat on Clare County Council". Clare Echo. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
11. ^ Hurley, David (19 December 2024). "Newly Co-Opted Councillors Formally Take Their Seats". Clare FM. Retrieved 20 December 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Elections to Clare County Council

* 1899
* 1902
* 1905
* 1908
* 1911
* 1914
* 1920
* 1925
* 1928
* 1934
* 1942
* 1948
* 1955
* 1960
* 1967
* 1974
* 1979
* 1985
* 1991
* 1999
* 2004
* 2009
* 2014
* 2019
* 2024

* v
* t
* e

Local government in the Republic of Ireland

County councils|

* Carlow
* Cavan
* Clare
* Cork
* Donegal
* Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown
* Fingal
* Galway
* Kerry
* Kildare
* Kilkenny
* Laois
* Leitrim
* Longford
* Louth
* Mayo
* Meath
* Monaghan
* Offaly
* Roscommon
* Sligo
* South Dublin
* Tipperary
* Westmeath
* Wexford
* Wicklow

City councils|

* Cork
* Dublin
* Galway

City and County councils|

* Limerick
* Waterford

Regional Assemblies|

* Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly
* Northern and Western Regional Assembly
* Southern Regional Assembly

Disestablished councils|

* Corporation of Dún Laoghaire
* Dublin County Council
* Limerick City Council
* Limerick County Council
* Pembroke
* Rathmines and Rathgar
* North Tipperary County Council
* South Tipperary County Council
* Waterford City Council
* Waterford County Council

Abolished structures|

* Town councils
* Town commissioners
* Urban and rural districts

Acts|

* Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840
* Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
* Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919
* Local Government Act 1925
* Local Government (Dublin) Act 1930
* Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993
* Local Government Act 2001
* Local Government Reform Act 2014
* Local Government Act 2019

See also|

* Chief executive
* Local electoral areas
* Local government in Dublin

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template