Westmeath County Council
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Westmeath County Council Comhairle Chontae na hIarmhí | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Liam McDaniel, FF | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 20 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Triath ós Triathaibh "Noble above nobility" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| County Buildings, Mullingar | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
Westmeath County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae na hIarmhí) is the local authority of County Westmeath, 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 20 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, Pat Gallagher. The county town is Mullingar.
History[edit]
Originally Westmeath County Council held its meetings in Mullingar Courthouse.[1] The council commissioned a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall, in Mount Street in Mullingar in the early 20th century.[2] In the early part of the 21st century it occupied a historic building on the same site associated with the old county gaol.[3] It then moved to more modern facilities at the new County Buildings, to the south of the previous facility, in 2009.[4]
Regional Assembly[edit]
Westmeath County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.[5]
Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts[edit]
County Westmeath is divided into local electoral areas, defined by electoral divisions, for the purposes of local elections, and into municipal districts for the purposes of local exercising of the powers of the local authority.[6]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athlone | Athlone | Athlone East Rural, Athlone East Urban, Athlone West Urban, Auburn, Carn, Castledaly, Doonis, Glassan, Killinure, Moydrum, Muckanagh and Tubbrit. | 5 |
| Moate | Ardnaglew, Ardnagragh, Ballinalack, Ballybroder, Ballykilmore, Ballymore, Ballymorin, Ballynagore, Bellanalack, Carrick, Castletown, Churchtown, Clonfad, Drumraney, Dysart, Emper, Glenlough, Greenpark, Jamestown, Kilbeggan, Kilbixy, Kilcumreragh, Killare, Lauree, Middleton, Moate, Mount Temple, Newtown, Noughaval, Piercetown, Portloman, Rahugh, Rathconrath, Rathowen, Skeagh, Sonna, Streamstown, Templepatrick, Umma and Winetown. | 4 | |
| Mullingar | Mullingar | Belvidere, Castle, Cloghan, Heathstown, Hopestown, Knockdrin, Mullingar North Urban, Mullingar Rural, Mullingar South Urban, Owel, Russellstown and Tullaghan. | 6 |
| Kinnegad | Ballinlough, Ballyhealy, Ballynaskeagh, Boherquill, Bracklin, Castlelost, Clonarney, Clonlost, Collinstown, Coole, Coolure, Copperalley, Delvin, Derrymore, Enniscoffey, Faughalstown, Finnea, Fore East, Fore West, Gaybrook, Glore, Griffinstown, Hilltown, Huntingdon, Kilcumny, Killua, Killucan, Killulagh, Kilpatrick, Kinnegad, Kinturk, Knockarrow, Lackan, Milltown, Multyfarnham, Raharney, Riverdale, Rosmead, Stonehall, Street, Taghmon and Woodland. | 5 |
Councillors[edit]
2019 seats summary[edit]
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 9 | |
| Fine Gael | 5 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
Councillors by electoral area[edit]
This list reflects the order in which Councillors were elected on 24 May 2019.[7]
| Council members from 2019 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Athlone | Frankie Keena | Fianna Fáil | |
| Aengus O'Rourke | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John Dolan | Fine Gael | ||
| Jamie Moran[a] | Independent | ||
| Louise Heavin | Green | ||
| Kinnegad | Frank McDermott | Fine Gael | |
| John Shaw | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Paddy Hill | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Denis Leonard | Labour | ||
| Emily Wallace | Fine Gael | ||
| Moate | Thomas Farrell | Fine Gael | |
| Liam McDaniel | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Vinny McCormack | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Johnnie Penrose | Labour | ||
| Mullingar | Mick Dollard | Independent | |
| Ken Glynn | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Aoife Davitt | Fianna Fáil | ||
| William Collentine | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Andrew Duncan | Fine Gael | ||
| Hazel Smyth | Green | ||
- Notes
Co-options[edit]
| Party | Outgoing | Electoral area | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Jamie Moran | Athlone | Resignation | January 2022 | Paul Hogan[8][a] | |
Changes in affiliation[edit]
| Name | Electoral area | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Hogan | Athlone | Independent | Independent Ireland | April 2024 | ||
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Illingworth, Ruth (14 December 2017). "History of Mount Street". Mullingar.ie. Archived from the original on 4 January 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
- ^ "County Buildings, Mullingar, County Westmeath". Buildings of Ireland. Archived from the original on 16 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "County Buildings, Mullingar, County Westmeath". Buildings of Ireland. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ "New County Buildings in Mullingar win Opus 2009 architecture and construction award". The Advertiser. 13 November 2009. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- ^ 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.
- ^ County of Westmeath Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 636 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2019. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 12 September 2020.
- ^ "Local Elections 2019: Results, Transfer of Votes and Statistics" (PDF). Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. pp. 208–212. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- ^ "Former OPW Minister Misses Out On Westmeath County Council Seat". Midlands 103 Radio. Retrieved 25 January 2022.