Westmeath County Council
Local authority of County Westmeath, Ireland
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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.
Westmeath County Council Comhairle Chontae na hIarmhí | |
|---|---|
| |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1899 |
| Leadership | |
Aoife Davitt, FF | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 20 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Triath ós Triathaibh "Noble above nobility" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| County Buildings, Mullingar | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
History
Westmeath County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Westmeath.[1][2][3] It succeeded the judicial county of Westmeath, with the addition of the part of the town of Athlone in County Roscommon.[4]
Originally Westmeath County Council held its meetings in Mullingar Courthouse.[5] The council commissioned a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall, in Mount Street in Mullingar in the early 20th century.[6] In the early part of the 21st century it occupied a historic building on the same site associated with the old county gaol.[7] It then moved to more modern facilities at the new County Buildings, to the south of the previous facility, in 2009.[8]
Regional Assembly
Westmeath County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.[9][10]
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.[11] County Westmeath was divided into 6 county electoral areas to elect the 23 members of the council.[12] This electoral system has been retained, with 20 members of Westmeath County Council now elected for a five-year term of office from 4 multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Westmeath is divided into LEAs, 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.[13]
| 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
The following were elected at the 2024 Westmeath County Council election.
2024 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 9 | |
| Fine Gael | 4 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| Sinn Féin | 2 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[14]
| Council members from 2024 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Athlone | Kevin "Boxer" Moran[a] | Independent | |
| Frankie Keena | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Aengus O'Rourke | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John Dolan | Fine Gael | ||
| Paul Hogan | Independent Ireland | ||
| Kinnegad | Denis Leonard | Labour | |
| Alfie Devine | Fianna Fáil | ||
| David Jones | Sinn Féin | ||
| Niall Gaffney | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Emily Wallace | Fine Gael | ||
| Moate | Tom Farrell | Fine Gael | |
| Vinny McCormack | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Liam McDaniel | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Johnnie Penrose | Labour | ||
| Mullingar | Mick Dollard | Independent | |
| Ken Glynn | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Aoife Davitt | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Andrew Duncan | Fine Gael | ||
| Bill Collentine | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Julie McCourt | Sinn Féin | ||
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Kevin "Boxer" Moran | Athlone | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 17 December 2024 | John Gibbons[15] | |