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Laois County Council

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Laois County Council

Comhairle Chontae Laoise
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Pádraig Fleming, FF
Structure
Seats19
Political groups
  Fianna Fáil (6)
  Fine Gael (5)
  Sinn Féin (1)
  Labour (1)
  Independent (6)
Elections
Last election
7 June 2024
Motto
Irish: I bpáirt leis an bpobal
"In partnership with the community"
Meeting place
Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise
Website
Official website Edit this at Wikidata
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.

History

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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

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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

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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 5 6 2 1 5 19
2019 7 6 2 1 3 19
2014 6 7 2 1 3 19
2009 12 8 1 1 3 25
2004 9 11 1 1 1 2 25
1999 10 14 0 1 0 1 25
1991 9 13 0 1 1 1 25
1985 9 14 0 1 1 25
1979 12 11 0 2 0 25
1974 12 11 0 2 0 25

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

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

Municipal District and LEA Definition Seats
Borris-in-OssoryMountmellick 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

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

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

Councillors by electoral area

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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
Borris-in-OssoryMountmellick 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 Fine Gael
Caroline Dwane Stanley Sinn Féin
Tommy Mulligan Independent
John Joe Fennelly Fianna Fáil
Catherine Fitzgerald Fianna Fáil
Barry Walsh Fine Gael
Marie Tuohy Labour
Notes
  1. ^ Changed party, see table below for details.

Changes in affiliation

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Name LEA Elected as New affiliation Date
Aidan Mullins Graiguecullen–Portarlington Sinn Féin Independent August 2024[10]

References

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  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. ^ "Sinn Féin councillor resigns claiming he was 'silenced' on migration". Irish Independent. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
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