Kildare County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Chill Dara) is the local authority of County Kildare, 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 40 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, Sonya Kavanagh. The county town is Naas.
Kildare County Council Comhairle Contae Chill Dara | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Joe Neville, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Meanma agus Misneach (Irish) "Spirit and Courage" | |
| Meeting place | |
| Áras Chill Dara, Naas | |
| Website | |
| kildarecoco | |
History
editThe County Council was formed in 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. It was originally based at Naas Courthouse but, after a major fire in the courthouse, moved to the former St Mary's Fever Hospital in the late 1950s.[1] By late 1990s, the old hospital buildings were in poor condition, and the county council identified the former Devoy Barracks site as its preferred location for new facilities.[2] It moved to Áras Chill Dara on the site of the old barracks site in 2006.[2]
Regional Assembly
editKildare County Council has three representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area Committee.[3][4]
Elections
editMembers of Kildare 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 | FF | FG | Lab | SD | GP | SF | II | PDs | WP | Ind | Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 3 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2014 | 12 | 9 | 5 | — | 0 | 5 | — | — | 0 | 9 | 40 | ||||||||||
| 2009 | 6 | 9 | 6 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 4 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 2004 | 10 | 7 | 4 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1999 | 9 | 5 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 4 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1991 | 8 | 7 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 25 | ||||||||||
| 1985 | 10 | 7 | 5 | — | 0 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 25 | ||||||||||
Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts
editCounty Kildare is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions.[5]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athy | Athy East Urban, Athy Rural, Athy West Urban, Ballaghmoon, Ballitore, Ballybrackan, Ballyshannon, Belan, Bert, Burtown, Carrigeen, Castledermot, Churchtown, Dunmanoge, Fontstown, Graney, Grangemellon, Harristown, Inchaquire, Johnstown, Kilberry, Kilkea, Kilrush, Moone, Narraghmore, Nurney, Skerries and Usk. | 5 | |
| Celbridge–Leixlip | Celbridge | Donaghcumper; and those parts of the electoral division of Celbridge not contained in the local electoral area of Leixlip. | 4 |
| Leixlip | Leixlip; and those parts of the electoral division of Celbridge to the north of a line drawn along the M4 motorway. | 3 | |
| Clane–Maynooth | Clane | Ballynadrumny, Cadamstown, Carbury, Carrick, Clane, Donore, Downings, Drehid, Dunfierth, Kilmeage North, Kilmeage South, Kilpatrick, Kilrainy, Lullymore, Robertstown, Timahoe North, Timahoe South and Windmill Cross. | 5 |
| Maynooth | Balraheen, Cloncurry (in the former Rural District of Celbridge No. 1), Donadea, Kilcock, Maynooth, and Straffan. | 5 | |
| Kildare–Newbridge | Kildare | Ballysax East, Ballysax West, Cloncurry (in the former Rural District of Edenderry No. 2), Dunmurry, Feighcullen, Kildangan, Kildare, Killinthomas, Lackagh, Monasterevin, Pollardstown, Quinsborough, Rathangan, Rathernan and Thomastown. | 5 |
| Newbridge | Carnalway, Carragh, Droichead Nua Rural, Droichead Nua Urban, Gilltown, Kilcullen, Ladytown, Morristownbiller and Oldconnell. | 6 | |
| Naas | Ballymore Eustace, Bodenstown, Kill, Killashee, Kilteel, Naas Rural, Naas Urban, Newtown, Oughterard and Rathmore. | 7 | |
Councillors
editThe following were elected at the 2024 Kildare County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 12 | |
| Fine Gael | 11 | |
| Social Democrats | 7 | |
| Labour | 5 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | |
| Independent | 3 | |
Councillors by electoral area
editThis list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[6]
| Council members from 2024 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Athy | Aoife Breslin | Labour | |
| Ivan Keatley | Fine Gael | ||
| Brian Dooley | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Veralouise Behan | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Mark Leigh | Labour | ||
| Celbridge | David Trost | Fianna Fáil | |
| Claire O'Rourke | Social Democrats | ||
| Lumi Panaite Fahey | Fine Gael | ||
| Rupert Heather | Labour | ||
| Clane | Brendan Wyse | Fine Gael | |
| Pádraig McEvoy | Independent | ||
| Aidan Farrelly | Social Democrats | ||
| William Durkan | Fine Gael | ||
| Daragh Fitzpatrick | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Kildare | Suzanne Doyle | Fianna Fáil | |
| Kevin Duffy | Fine Gael | ||
| Brian O'Loughlin | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Pat Balfe | Social Democrats | ||
| Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh | Sinn Féin | ||
| Leixlip | Joe Neville | Fine Gael | |
| Nuala Killeen | Social Democrats | ||
| Bernard Caldwell | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Maynooth | Naoise Ó Cearúil | Fianna Fáil | |
| Tim Durkan | Fine Gael | ||
| Angela Feeney | Labour | ||
| Peter Melrose | Social Democrats | ||
| Paul Ward | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Naas | Bill Clear[a] | Social Democrats | |
| Fintan Brett | Fine Gael | ||
| Evie Sammon | Fine Gael | ||
| Seamie Moore | Independent | ||
| Anne Breen | Labour | ||
| Carmel Kelly | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ger Dunne | Independent Ireland | ||
| Newbridge | Tracey O'Dwyer | Fine Gael | |
| Peggy O'Dwyer | Fine Gael | ||
| Chris Pender | Social Democrats | ||
| Noel Heavey | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Robert Power | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Tom McDonnell | Independent | ||
- Notes
Changes in affiliation
edit| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Clear | Naas | Social Democrats | Independent | September 2024[7] | ||
References
edit- ^ "Maternity care featured in debate on future of Kildare hospitals". Leinster Leader. 27 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Council's new civic offices go full tilt in Naas". Irish Times. 26 January 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- ^ Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, Article 5 and Schedule 3 (S.I. No. 573 of 2014). Signed on 16 December 2014. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 26 April 2023.
- ^ "Members List". Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly.
- ^ County of Kildare Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 620 of 2018). Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 24 May 2019.
- ^ "Kildare County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ Beatty, Eoin (5 September 2024). "BREAKING: Cllr. Bill Clear Resigns From The Social Democrats". Kfmradio. Kfmradio. Retrieved 6 September 2024.