Offaly County Council
Local authority of County Offaly in Ireland
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Offaly County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí) is the local authority of County Offaly, 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, Anna Marie Delaney. The county town is Tullamore.
Offaly County Council Comhairle Chontae Uíbh Fhailí | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1899 |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 19 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Latin: Esto Fidelis "Be Faithful" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Áras an Chontae, Tullamore | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
History
Offaly County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of King's County.[1][2][3] The 1920 King's County Council election saw significant gains for Sinn Féin.[4] At the annual meeting of 19 June 1920, the council resolved "to revive the ancient and illustrious title of Offaly", with a motion passing to the effect, "That this County Council of the elected representatives of Offaly change the name of King's County Council to Offaly County Council, and that all printed matter dealing with the business of the Council adopt the new title".[5] The Local Government Board for Ireland wrote to the council stating that it did not have the power to alter the name of the county.[6] The name Offaly was used by the Irish Free State after its establishment in 1922.[7]
Originally Tullamore Courthouse had been the meeting place of Offaly County Council.[8][9] The county council moved to modern facilities at Áras an Chontae in 2002.[10]
Regional Assembly
Offaly County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.[11][12]
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.[13] This electoral system has been retained, with the 19 members of Offaly County Council elected for a five-year term of office from multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).
| Year | FF | FG | Ren | IDP | SD | GP | SF | II | PDs | Lab | Ind. | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | N/a | 0 | 2 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | N/a | N/a | 0 | 3 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 8 | 3 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 3 | N/a | N/a | 0 | 5 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 2009 | 9 | 6 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | N/a | N/a | 0 | 6 | 21 | |||||||||||
| 2004 | 8 | 6 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | N/a | 2 | 0 | 5 | 21 | |||||||||||
| 1999 | 9 | 7 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | N/a | 0 | 1 | 4 | 21 | |||||||||||
| 1991 | 10 | 6 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | N/a | 1 | 1 | 3 | 21 | |||||||||||
| 1985 | 12 | 6 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | N/a | N/a | 0 | 3 | 21 | |||||||||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Offaly is divided into LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, to elect members of the council and into municipal districts for governance at a local level.[14]
| Municipal District and LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Birr | Aghancon, Ballincor, Banagher, Barna, Birr Rural, Birr Urban, Broughal, Cangort, Cloghan, Clonmacnoise, Cullenwaine, Derrinboy, Derryad, Doon, Dromoyle, Drumcullen, Dunkerrin, Eglish, Ettagh, Ferbane, Gallen, Gorteen (in the former Rural District of Roscrea No. 2), Hinds, Huntston, Kilcolman, Kilcormac, Killooly, Killyon, Kinnitty, Knockbarron, Lea, Letter, Lumcloon, Lusmagh, Mounterin, Mountheaton, Moyclare, Roscomroe, Seirkieran, Shannonbridge, Shannonharbour, Shinrone, Srah, Templeharry and Tulla | 6 |
| Edenderry | Ballaghassaan, Ballyburly, Ballycommon, Ballymacwilliam, Ballyshear, Bracknagh, Clonbulloge, Clonmore, Clonygowan, Croghan, Daingean, Edenderry Rural, Edenderry Urban, Esker, Geashill, Hammerlane, Kilclonfert, Knockdrin, Monasteroris, Mountbriscoe, ODempsey, Portarlington North, Raheenakeeran and Rathfeston | 6 |
| Tullamore | Ballycumber, Bawn, Cappancur, Clara, Derrycooly, Durrow, Gorteen (in the former Rural District of Tullamore), Kilcumreragh, Killeigh, Killoughy, Rahan, Rathrobin, Screggan, Silverbrook, Tinamuck, Tinnycross, Tullamore Rural and Tullamore Urban | 7 |
Councillors
2024 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 8 | |
| Fine Gael | 5 | |
| Sinn Féin | 3 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[15]
| Council members from 2024 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LEA | Name | Party | |
| Birr | Peter Ormond | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Leahy | Independent | ||
| John Clendennen[a] | Fine Gael | ||
| Hugh Egan | Fine Gael | ||
| Sean Maher | Sinn Féin | ||
| Audrey Hennessy Kennedy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Edenderry | Eddie Fitzpatrick[b] | Fianna Fáil | |
| Fergus McDonnell | Independent Ireland | ||
| Claire Murray | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Liam Quinn | Fine Gael | ||
| Noel Cribbin | Fine Gael | ||
| Claire Murray | Sinn Féin | ||
| Tullamore | Neil Feighery | Fine Gael | |
| Frank Moran | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Seán O'Brien | Independent | ||
| Tony McCormack[a] | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Aoife Masterson | Sinn Féin | ||
| Declan Harvey | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ollie Bryant | Fianna Fáil | ||
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | Tony McCormack | Tullamore | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 16 December 2024 | Shane Murray[16] | |
| Fine Gael | John Clendennen | Birr | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 16 December 2024 | Eleanor Clendennen[17] | |
Changes in affiliation
| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Fitzpatrick | Edenderry | Fianna Fáil | Independent | 8 October 2024[18] | ||