Wicklow County Council
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Wicklow County Council Comhairle Chontae Chill Mhantáin | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1899 |
| Leadership | |
Melanie Corrigan, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 32 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Meanma Saor "Free Spirits" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| County Buildings, Wicklow | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
Wicklow County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Chill Mhantáin) is the local authority of County Wicklow, 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 32 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 chief executive, Emer O'Gorman. The county town is Wicklow.
Wicklow County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Wicklow.[1][2][3] It succeeded the judicial county of Wicklow, with the addition of the part of the town of Bray which was formerly in County Dublin.[4]
Originally Wicklow County Council held its meetings in Wicklow Courthouse.[5] The county council moved to a new facility, known as County Buildings, in 1977.[6]
Regional Assembly
Wicklow County Council has three representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area Committee.[7][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] County Wicklow was divided into 4 county electoral areas to elect the 20 members of the council.[10] This electoral system has been retained, with 34 members of Wicklow County Council now elected for a five-year term of office from 6 multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).
| Year | FG | FF | SF | GP | Lab | SD | II | WP | Ind | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 32 | |||||||||
| 2019 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 9 | 32 | |||||||||
| 2014 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 10 | 32 | |||||||||
| 2009 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | — | — | 0 | 3 | 24 | |||||||||
| 2004 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 24 | |||||||||
| 1999 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 5 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 24 | |||||||||
| 1991 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 4 | 24 | |||||||||
| 1985 | 5 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 24 | |||||||||
| 1979 | 8 | 7 | 0 | — | 4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 21 | |||||||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Wicklow is divided into local electoral areas, defined by electoral divisions, for elections to the council, and into municipal districts which exercise powers of the council locally.[11][12]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arklow | Arklow No. 1 Urban, Arklow No. 2 Urban, Arklow Rural, Aughrim, Avoca, Ballinaclash, Ballinacor, Ballinderry, Ballyarthur, Cronebane, Dunganstown South, Dunganstown West, Ennereilly, Kilballyowen, Kilbride (in the former Rural District of Rathdrum), Kilpipe, Knockrath, and Rathdrum | 6 | |
| Baltinglass | Aghowle, Ballingate, Ballinglen, Ballinguile, Ballybeg, Baltinglass, Blessington, Burgage, Carnew, Coolattin, Coolballintaggart, Coolboy, Cronelea, Donaghmore, Donard, Dunlavin, Eadestown, Hartstown, Hollywood, Humewood, Imael North, Imael South, Kilbride (in the former Rural District of Baltinglass No.1), Killinure, Lackan, Lugglass, Money, Rath, Rathdangan, Rathsallagh, Shillelagh, Stratford, Talbotstown, The Grange, Tinahely, Tober, Togher (in the former Rural District of Baltinglass No.1) and Tuckmill | 6 | |
| Bray | Bray East | Bray No. 1 Urban, Bray No. 2 Urban, Bray No. 3 Urban and Rathmichael (Bray) | 4 |
| Bray West | Enniskerry, Kilmacanoge and Powerscourt | 4 | |
| Greystones | Delgany, Greystones, Kilcoole and Newcastle Lower | 6 | |
| Wicklow | Altidore, Ballycullen, Brockagh, Calary, Dunganstown East, Glendalough, Glenealy, Killiskey, Moneystown, Newcastle Upper, Oldtown, Togher (in the former Rural District of Rathdrum), Trooperstown, Wicklow Rural and Wicklow Urban | 6 | |