South Dublin County Council
Local authority of South Dublin, Ireland
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South Dublin County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Átha Cliath Theas[1]) is the local authority of the county of South Dublin, Ireland. It is one of three local authorities created by the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993 to succeed the former Dublin County Council before its abolition on 1 January 1994 and one of four councils in County Dublin. 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 Mayor. The county administration is headed by a chief executive, Colm Ward. The county town is Tallaght, with a civic centre at Ninth Lock Road, Clondalkin.[2] It serves a population of approximately 192,000.
- Fine Gael (9)
- Fianna Fáil (5)
- Sinn Féin (5)
- PBP–Solidarity (3)
- Labour (3)
- Social Democrats (2)
- Independent Ireland (1)
- Independent (12)
South Dublin County Council Comhairle Contae Átha Cliath Theas | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Pamela Kearns, Lab | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| County Hall, Tallaght | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
The council is the third largest local authority in Ireland with a population of 265,205 (Census 2011), 90,000 households, and 6,000 businesses, covering an area of 222.74 square kilometres.[3][4] There are 183,336 local government electors and 174,349 Dáil electors registered to vote in the County Council administrative area.[5]
History
The council of the electoral county of Dublin—Belgard was established in 1985 with 26 members.[6] Its members also sat as members of Dublin County Council.[7] At the 1991 local election, the electoral county was renamed South Dublin.[8]
On 1 January 1994, under the Local Government (Dublin) Act 1993, County Dublin and Dublin County Council ceased to exist and South Dublin County Council came into being.[9][10]
The county council initially met in the Regional Technical College, Tallaght.[11] A new building, County Hall, was purpose-built for the county council and was completed in 1994.[12]
Legal status
The Local Government Act 2001 reformed the two-tier structure of local government in Ireland, although South Dublin had no second-tier areas. It confirmed the size of the council as 26 members.[13] Following the Local Government Reform Act 2014 this number was increased to 40 members as part of a nationwide reallocation of local authority membership numbers.[14]
The Local Government Act 1994 defines how an authority may act.[15] The local authority may provide amenities, facilities and services related to; artistic and cultural activities, sports, games and similar activities, general recreational and leisure activities, civic improvements, environmental and heritage protection and improvement, and the public use of amenities. It may also act as a library authority.
Governance
Management
The Corporate Policy Group (CPG) consists of the Mayor together with the Chairs of each of the Strategic Policy Committees (SPC). The CPG is supported by the County Manager.[16] Its function is to co-ordinate the work of the Committees so that policy decisions can be discussed and agreed for recommendation to the full council. "The CPG acts as a sort of Cabinet for the council and is supported by the County Manager."[17]
Mayor and Deputy Mayor
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen from among the councillors.[18]
Regional Assembly
South Dublin County Council has three representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Dublin Strategic Planning Area Committee.[19]
Elections
Members of South Dublin 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 | PBP | Lab | SD | II | IF | GP | Sol | WP | PDs | Ind. | Total | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | 10 | 40 | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | N/a | N/a | 4 | 2 | 0 | N/a | 9 | 40 | |||||||||||||
| 2014 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 4 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 1 | 3 | 0 | N/a | 8 | 40 | |||||||||||||
| 2009 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 26 | |||||||||||||
| 2004 | 3 | 6 | 3 | N/a | 7 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 26 | |||||||||||||
| 1999 | 3 | 8 | 2 | N/a | 7 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 26 | |||||||||||||
| 1991 | 6 | 7 | 0 | N/a | 4 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 1 | N/a | 3 | 4 | 1 | 26 | |||||||||||||
| 1985 | 8 | 13 | 0 | N/a | 2 | N/a | N/a | N/a | 0 | N/a | 2 | N/a | 1 | 26 | |||||||||||||
Local electoral areas
South Dublin is divided into LEAs.[20] These are defined by electoral divisions which were defined in 1986, with minor amendments in 1994.[21][22] The most recent polling scheme was published in 2020.[23]
| LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Clondalkin | Clondalkin-Dunawley, Clondalkin Village, Newcastle, Rathcoole, Saggart; that part of the electoral division of Clondalkin-Monastery west of a line drawn along the M50 motorway; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Clondalkin-Cappaghmore and Clondalkin-Moorfield south of a line drawn along the South Western Commuter and Intercity railway line | 7 |
| Firhouse–Bohernabreena | Bohernabreena, Edmondstown, Firhouse-Ballycullen, Firhouse-Knocklyon and Firhouse Village | 5 |
| Lucan | Lucan-St Helens, Lucan Heights; and that part of the electoral division of Lucan Esker not contained in the local electoral area of Palmerstown-Fonthill | 5 |
| Palmerstown–Fonthill | Clondalkin-Rowlagh, Palmerston Village, Palmerston West; those parts of the electoral divisions of Clondalkin-Cappaghmore and Clondalkin-Moorfield not contained in the local electoral area of Clondalkin;and that part of the electoral division of Lucan Esker to the east of a line drawn along the R136 Road | 5 |
| Rathfarnham–Templeogue | Ballyboden, Rathfarnham-Ballyroan, Rathfarnham-Butterfield, Rathfarnham-Hermitage, Rathfarnham-St. Endas, Rathfarnham Village, Templeogue-Cypress, Templeogue-Kimmage Manor, Templeogue-Limekiln, Templeogue-Orwell, Templeogue-Osprey, Templeogue Village, Terenure-Cherryfield, Terenure-Greentrees and Terenure-St. James;those parts of the electoral divisions of Clondalkin-Ballymount, Clondalkin-Monastery and Tallaght-Kilnamanagh east of a line drawn along the M50 motorway | 7 |
| Tallaght Central | Tallaght-Avonbeg, Tallaght-Belgard, Tallaght-Glenview, Tallaght-Kingswood, Tallaght-Millbrook, Tallaght-Oldbawn, Tallaght-Springfield, Tallaght-Tymon;those parts of the electoral divisions of Clondalkin-Ballymount and Tallaght-Kilnamanagh not contained in the local electoral area of Rathfarnham-Templeogue; and that part of the electoral division of Tallaght-Kiltipper to the east of a line drawn along Kiltipper Way | 6 |
| Tallaght South | Ballinascorney, Tallaght-Fettercairn, Tallaght-Jobstown, Tallaght-Killinardan; and that part of the electoral division of Tallaght-Kiltipper not contained in the local electoral area of Tallaght Central | 5 |
Councillors
2024 seats summary
The following were elected at the 2024 South Dublin County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 9 | |
| Fianna Fáil | 5 | |
| Sinn Féin | 5 | |
| PBP–Solidarity | 4 | |
| Labour | 3 | |
| Social Democrats | 2 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Irish Freedom | 1 | |
| Independent | 10 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[24][25]
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Paddy Holohan | Tallaght Central | Elected for two areas; Tallaght Central and Tallaght South, resigned from Tallaght Central.[26] |
September 2024 | Dean Donnelly | |
| Fianna Fáil | Shane Moynihan | Palmerstown–Fonthill | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Jacqueline Sheehy[27] | |
| Labour | Ciarán Ahern | Rathfarnham–Templeogue | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Paddy Cosgrave[27] | |
| Independent | Paul Gogarty | Lucan | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Helen Farrell[27] | |
| Fianna Fáil | Teresa Costello | Tallaght Central | Elected to 27th Seanad at the 2025 Seanad election | 31 January 2025 | Adam Smyth[28] | |
| PBP–Solidarity | Darragh Adelaide | Clondalkin | Resignation | 25 February 2026 | Gino Kenny[29] | |
Changes in affiliation
| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Timmons | Clondalkin | Independent | Labour | 25 October 2024[30] | ||
| Francis Timmons | Clondalkin | Labour | Independent | 13 December 2024[31] | ||
| Glen Moore | Palmerstown–Fonthill | Irish Freedom | Independent | 28 February 2025[32] | ||
| Madeleine Johansson | Palmerstown–Fonthill | PBP–Solidarity | Independent | 9 June 2025[33] | ||
Controversies
2019 wetlands destruction
In 2019, South Dublin County Council sanctioned the mass dumping of silt in a wetlands park which it had previously vowed to protect.[34][35] A large part of the park's ecosystem was destroyed, buried under several feet of silt which was then leveled with heavy machinery.[36] The destruction enraged environmental groups, who estimated that thousands of animals were buried and killed, including several protected and endangered species.[34][36] In response, the council confirmed that they would review their silt disposal process,[34] while admitting no wrongdoing.[35]