Longford County Council
Local authority of County Longford, Ireland
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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.
Longford County Council Comhairle Chontae an Longfoirt | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1899 |
| Leadership | |
Gerry Hagan, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 18 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Daingean agus Dílis (Irish) "Strong and Loyal" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Áras an Chontae, Longford | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
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).
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
The LEAs and the municipal districts are defined by electoral divisions.[11]
| LEA and Municipal district | Electoral divisions | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Rathcline | 6 |
| 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 Sonnagh | 5 |
| Longford | Breanrisk, Caldragh, Cloondara, Cloonee, Corboy, Longford No. 1 Urban, Longford No. 2 Urban, Longford Rural and Newtown Forbes | 7 |
Councillors
2024 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Name | Party | |
| 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 | ||