Wexford County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Loch Garman) is the local authority of County Wexford, 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 34 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, currently Eddie Taaffe. The county town is Wexford.
Wexford County Council Comhairle Contae Loch Garman | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Pip Breen, FF | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 34 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Latin: Exemplar Hiberniae "An example to Ireland" | |
| Meeting place | |
| County Hall, Wexford | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
History
editWexford County Council was established in statute in 1898 by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The first meeting of the council was on 22 April 1899.[1]
From 1899 to 1920, meetings of the county council were held in the Grand Jury room of the old Wexford Courthouse on Commercial Quay.[2] After the old courthouse burnt down in the Irish War of Independence, a new courthouse was established on the site of the old jail in Hill Street in 1930.[2][3] The county council relocated to the site in Hill Street at the same time.[4][5] After the condition of the properties in Hill Street proved inadequate, the county council moved to a modern County Hall in Carricklawn in September 2011[5] and a modern courthouse was opened on Belvedere Road in 2018.[6]
In 2014, the Local Government Reform Act 2014 dissolved Enniscorthy Town Council, Gorey Town Council, New Ross Town Council, and Wexford Borough Council. Wexford County Council became the local authority for their areas of jurisdiction.[7]
Regional Assembly
editWexford County Council has three representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the South-East Strategic Planning Area Committee.[8]
Elections
editMembers of Wexford 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 | SF | Aon | WIA | PBP | Ind | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 34 | ||||||||
| 2019 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 8 | 34 | ||||||||
| 2014 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 34 | ||||||||
| 2009 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 2 | 21 | ||||||||
| 2004 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 4 | 21 | ||||||||
| 1999 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 21 | ||||||||
| 1991 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 21 | ||||||||
| 1985 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 21 | ||||||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
editCounty Wexford is divided into LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, for elections to the council.[9][10] These are grouped into borough and municipal districts for the purpose of local exercising of the powers of the local authority. The municipal district which contains the administrative area of the former borough of Wexford is referred to as a Borough District.[11]
| Municipal district | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enniscorthy | Ballindaggan, Ballycarney, Ballyhoge, Bree, Castledockrell, Enniscorthy Rural, Enniscorthy Urban, Ferns, Kilbora, Killoughrum, Kilrush, Kiltealy, Marshalstown, Moyacomb, Newtownbarry, Rossard, St. Marys, The Leap and Tombrack. | 6 | |
| Gorey–Kilmuckridge | Gorey | Ardamine, Balloughter, Ballybeg, Ballyellis, Ballylarkin, Ballynestragh, Coolgreany, Courtown, Gorey Rural, Gorey Urban, Huntingtown, Kilcomb, Kilgorman, Kilnahue, Limerick, Monaseed, Rossminoge and Wingfield. | 6 |
| Kilmuckridge | Ballycanew, Ballygarrett, Ballyhuskard, Ballymore, Ballyvaldon, Bolaboy, Cahore, Castle Ellis, Castle Talbot, Edermine, Ford, Kilcormick, Killenagh, Killincooly, Kilmallock, Monamolin, The Harrow, Tinnacross and Wells. | 4 | |
| New Ross | Adamstown, Ballyanne, Ballyhack, Barrack Village, Barronstown, Carnagh, Carrickbyrne, Castleboro, Clonleigh, Clonroche, Dunmain, Fethard, Horetown, Inch, Kilgarvan, Killann, Killesk, Kilmokea, New Ross Rural, New Ross Urban, Newbawn, Old Ross, Oldcourt, Rathroe, Rochestown, Rosbercon Urban, Templeludigan, Templetown, Tintern, Whitechurch (in the former Rural District of New Ross), Whitechurch (in the former Rural District of Wexford) and Whitemoor. | 6 | |
| Rosslare | Aughwilliam, Ballymitty, Bannow, Bridgetown, Clongeen, Duncormick, Harperstown, Harristown, Kilcowan, Killag, Killinick, Kilmore, Kilscoran, Ladys Island, Mayglass, Newcastle, Rosslare, St. Helens, Tacumshin, Taghmon and Tomhaggard; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Drinagh and Rathaspick not contained in the local electoral area of Wexford. | 5 | |
| Borough District of Wexford | Wexford | Ardcavan, Ardcolm, Artramon, Carrick, Forth, Glynn, Kilbride, Killurin, Kilpatrick, Wexford No. 1 Urban, Wexford No. 2 Urban, Wexford No. 3 Urban, Wexford Rural; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Drinagh and Rathaspick to the north of a line drawn as follows: Commencing at the boundary between the electoral divisions of Rathaspick and Wexford Rural at the N25 and then proceeding in a south-easterly direction along the N25 to the roundabout at the junction of the N25 and the R730, and then proceeding along an easterly projection to the boundary between the electoral divisions of Drinagh and Rosslare. | 7 |
| Total | 34 | ||
Councillors
editThe following were elected at the 2024 Wexford County Council election.
2024 seats summary
edit| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 9 | |
| Fine Gael | 8 | |
| Wexford Ind. Alliance | 5 | |
| Sinn Féin | 3 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| Aontú | 1 | |
| Independent | 6 | |
Councillors by electoral area
editThis list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[12]
- Notes
Co-options
edit| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinn Féin | Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin | Gorey | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 16 December 2024 | Craig Doyle[13] | |
| Labour | George Lawlor | Wexford | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 16 December 2024 | Vicky Clancy Barron[14] | |
Changes in affiliation
edit| Name | LEA | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Sheehan | New Ross | Fianna Fáil | Independent | 4 November 2024[15] | ||
References
edit- ^ "Wexford County Council Minute Books". Wexford County Archive. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ a b "Wexford Courthouse". Wexford Hub. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "County Council Minutes" (PDF). Wexford County Council. 26 May 1930. p. 45. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "County Hall, Hill Street, Wexford". Wexford Hub. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ a b Cullen, Conor (27 September 2011). "Council officially open new €46m headquarters". Gorey Guardian. Independent News and Media. Archived from the original on 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Official Opening of Wexford Courthouse - Courts Bundle PPP". BAM Ireland. 19 February 2018. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014 (2014 Establishment Day) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 215 of 2014). Signed on 22 May 2014. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 15 September 2020.
- ^ 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 23 April 2023.
- ^ County of Wexford Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 637 of 2018). Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 9 September 2021. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 9 September 2021.
- ^ "Revised Electoral Areas 2018". Wexford County Council. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014, s. 19: Municipal districts (No. 1 of 2014, s. 19). Enacted on 27 January 2014. Act of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 5 September 2020.
- ^ "Wexford County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News. Retrieved 21 June 2024.
- ^ Colleran, isabel (13 December 2024). "Gorey's Craig Doyle to take Wexford council seat after fighting off stiff competition at Sinn Féin convention". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ Wexford Labour. "We are absolutely delighted to announce that Vicky Barron has been selected by the members to be co-opted onto Wexford County Council. Vicky comes with extensive experience in her own professional life as principal of the CBS primary school in Wexford town". Facebook. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Michael Sheehan leaves Fianna Fáil to run as an Independent in general election". BreakingNews.ie. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
