Kildare County Council
Kildare County Council Comhairle Contae Chill Dara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Kevin Duffy, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Meanma agus Misneach (Irish) "Spirit and Courage" | |
| Meeting place | |
| Áras Chill Dara, Naas | |
| Website | |
| kildarecoco | |
Kildare County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Chill Dara) is the local authority of County Kildare, 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 40 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, Sonya Kavanagh. The county town is Naas.
History
[edit]The County Council was formed in 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. It was originally based at Naas Courthouse but, after a major fire in the courthouse, moved to the former St Mary's Fever Hospital in the late 1950s.[1] By late 1990s, the old hospital buildings were in poor condition, and the county council identified the former Devoy Barracks site as its preferred location for new facilities.[2] It moved to Áras Chill Dara on the site of the old barracks site in 2006.[2]
Regional Assembly
[edit]Kildare County Council has three representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area Committee.[3][4]
Elections
[edit]Members of Kildare 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 | FF | FG | Lab | SD | GP | SF | II | PDs | WP | Ind | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 3 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2014 | 12 | 9 | 5 | — | 0 | 5 | — | — | 0 | 9 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2009 | 6 | 9 | 6 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 2004 | 10 | 7 | 4 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1999 | 9 | 5 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1991 | 8 | 7 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1985 | 10 | 7 | 5 | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 25 | ||||||||||
Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts
[edit]County Kildare is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions.[5]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athy | Athy East Urban, Athy Rural, Athy West Urban, Ballaghmoon, Ballitore, Ballybrackan, Ballyshannon, Belan, Bert, Burtown, Carrigeen, Castledermot, Churchtown, Dunmanoge, Fontstown, Graney, Grangemellon, Harristown, Inchaquire, Johnstown, Kilberry, Kilkea, Kilrush, Moone, Narraghmore, Nurney, Skerries and Usk. | 5 | |
| Celbridge–Leixlip | Celbridge | Donaghcumper; and those parts of the electoral division of Celbridge not contained in the local electoral area of Leixlip. | 4 |
| Leixlip | Leixlip; and those parts of the electoral division of Celbridge to the north of a line drawn along the M4 motorway. | 3 | |
| Clane–Maynooth | Clane | Ballynadrumny, Cadamstown, Carbury, Carrick, Clane, Donore, Downings, Drehid, Dunfierth, Kilmeage North, Kilmeage South, Kilpatrick, Kilrainy, Lullymore, Robertstown, Timahoe North, Timahoe South and Windmill Cross. | 5 |
| Maynooth | Balraheen, Cloncurry (in the former Rural District of Celbridge No. 1), Donadea, Kilcock, Maynooth, and Straffan. | 5 | |
| Kildare–Newbridge | Kildare | Ballysax East, Ballysax West, Cloncurry (in the former Rural District of Edenderry No. 2), Dunmurry, Feighcullen, Kildangan, Kildare, Killinthomas, Lackagh, Monasterevin, Pollardstown, Quinsborough, Rathangan, Rathernan and Thomastown. | 5 |
| Newbridge | Carnalway, Carragh, Droichead Nua Rural, Droichead Nua Urban, Gilltown, Kilcullen, Ladytown, Morristownbiller and Oldconnell. | 6 | |
| Naas | Ballymore Eustace, Bodenstown, Kill, Killashee, Kilteel, Naas Rural, Naas Urban, Newtown, Oughterard and Rathmore. | 7 | |
Councillors
[edit]The following were elected at the 2024 Kildare County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 12 | |
| Fine Gael | 11 | |
| Social Democrats | 7 | |
| Labour | 5 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
Councillors by electoral area
[edit]This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[6]
- Notes
Co-options
[edit]| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Democrats | Aidan Farrelly | Clane | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Paula Mulroe[7] | |
| Fine Gael | Joe Neville | Leixlip | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Paul Brooks[8] | |
| Sinn Féin | Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh | Kildare | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Noel Connolly[9] | |
| Fianna Fáil | Naoise Ó Cearúil | Maynooth | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Donna Phelan[10] | |
Changes in affiliation
[edit]| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Clear | Naas | Social Democrats | Independent | September 2024[11] | ||
References
[edit]- ^ "Maternity care featured in debate on future of Kildare hospitals". Leinster Leader. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Council's new civic offices go full tilt in Naas". Irish Times. 26 January 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- ^ 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 26 April 2023.
- ^ "Members List". Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly.
- ^ County of Kildare Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 620 of 2018). Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 24 May 2019.
- ^ "Kildare County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (13 December 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Who Will Be Co-Opted Onto Kildare County Council Following The General Election Results?". Kfmradio. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (13 December 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Who Will Be Co-Opted Onto Kildare County Council Following The General Election Results?". Kfmradio. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (13 December 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Who Will Be Co-Opted Onto Kildare County Council Following The General Election Results?". Kfmradio. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (13 December 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Who Will Be Co-Opted Onto Kildare County Council Following The General Election Results?". Kfmradio. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (5 September 2024). "BREAKING: Cllr. Bill Clear Resigns From The Social Democrats". Kfmradio. Kfmradio. Retrieved 6 September 2024.