Cavan County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae an Chabháin) is the authority responsible for local government in County Cavan, 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 18 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, Tommy Ryan. The county town is Cavan.
Cavan County Council Comhairle Contae an Chabháin | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Phillip Brady, FF since = | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 18 |
 | |
Political groups |
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| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Feardhacht is Fírinne "Manliness and Truth" | |
| Meeting place | |
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| Cavan Courthouse, Cavan | |
| Website | |
| cavancoco | |
History
The meeting place of Cavan County Council has always been at Cavan Courthouse.[1]
Cavan County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Cavan, succeeding the former judicial county of Cavan.[2][3][4]
Before 1925, the chair of each rural district council sat as an ex officio member of the council.[5] Under the Local Government Act 1925, rural district councils in Ireland were abolished and their functions transferred to the county councils.[6] In County Cavan, these were the districts of Bailieborough, Bawnboy, Castlerahan, Cavan, Enniskillen No. 2, and Mullaghoran.[7] The number of members of the county council increased from 20 to 32.[8][9][10]
In 1942, in an order under the Local Government Act 1941, the council was reduced to 25.[11][12] This figure was restated by the Local Government Act 2001.[13]
In 2014, following a recommendation of a Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee, the council was reduced to 18 seats.[14] This was implemented by the Local Government Reform Act 2014.[15] Under the same act, all town councils in Ireland were abolished and their functions transferred to the county councils. In County Cavan, these were the town councils of Belturbet, Cavan, and Cootehill.[16] It also provided that the county be divided into municipal districts to administer council business at a local level.
Regional Assembly
Cavan County Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly where they are part of the Border Strategic Planning Area Committee.[17]
Elections
Members of Cavan 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.
| Election | FF | FG | SF | Aon | Ind | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | |||||
| 2014 | 7 | 7 | 4 | — | 1 | 18 | |||||
| 2009 | 8 | 13 | 4 | — | 0 | 25 | |||||
| 2004 | 11 | 11 | 3 | — | 0 | 25 | |||||
| 1999 | 13 | 9 | 2 | — | 1 | 25 | |||||
| 1991 | 11 | 9 | 0 | — | 5 | 25 | |||||
| 1985 | 14 | 10 | 0 | — | 1 | 25 | |||||
| 1979 | 12 | 11 | 1 | — | 1 | 25 | |||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
Since 2019, County Cavan has been divided into three LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, each of which also forms a municipal district.[18]
| LEA/Municipal district | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Bailieborough–Cootehill | Ashfield, Bailieborough, Ballyhaise, Canningstown, Carnagarve, Clonervy, Cootehill Rural, Cootehill Urban, Corraneary, Cuttragh, Drumanespick, Drumcarn, Drung, Enniskeen, Killinkere, Kingscourt, Knappagh, Larah North, Larah South, Lisagoan, Rakenny, Redhill, Shercock, Skeagh, Stradone, Taghart, Termon, Tullyvin East, Tullyvin West and Waterloo. | 6 |
| Ballyjamesduff | Arvagh, Ballintemple, Ballyjamesduff, Ballymachugh, Bellananagh, Bruce Hall, Castlerahan, Corr, Crossbane, Crossdoney, Crosskeys, Denn, Derrin, Drumcarban, Drumlumman, Graddum, Kilbride, Kilcogy, Kilgolagh, Kill, Kilnaleck, Loughdawan, Lurgan, Mullagh, Munterconnaught, Scrabby, Springfield and Virginia. | 6 |
| Cavan–Belturbet | Ardue, Ballyconnell, Ballymagauran, Bawnboy, Belturbet, Benbrack, Bilberry, Butlers Bridge, Carn, Carrafin, Castlesaunderson, Cavan Rural, Cavan Urban, Derrylahan, Derrynananta, Diamond, Doogary, Dowra, Dunmakeever, Eskey, Grilly, Kilconny, Killashandra, Killinagh, Killykeen, Kinawley, Lissanover, Milltown, Moynehall, Pedara Vohers, Swanlinbar, Teebane, Templeport, Tircahan and Tuam. | 6 |
Current councillors
The following were elected at the 2019 Cavan County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 8 | |
| Fine Gael | 7 | |
| Aontú | 1 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
Councillors by electoral area
| Council members from 2019 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Bailieborough–Cootehill | Sarah O'Reilly | Aontú | |
| Val Smith | Fine Gael | ||
| Clifford Kelly | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Carmel Brady | Fine Gael | ||
| Aiden Fitzpatrick | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Paddy McDonald | Sinn Féin | ||
| Ballyjamesduff | Trevor Smith | Fine Gael | |
| Shane P. O'Reilly[a] | Fianna Fáil | ||
| T.P. O'Reilly | Fine Gael | ||
| Winston Bennet | Fine Gael | ||
| Phillip Brady | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Craig Lovett | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Cavan–Belturbet | John Paul Feeley | Fianna Fáil | |
| Brendan Fay | Independent | ||
| Madeleine Argue | Fine Gael | ||
| Patricia Walsh | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Sean Smith | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Peter McVitty | Fine Gael | ||
- Notes
Changes in affiliation
| Name | Electoral area | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shane P. O'Reilly | Ballyjamesduff | Fianna Fáil | Independent | June 2020 | ||
| Shane P. O'Reilly | Ballyjamesduff | Independent | Independent Ireland | February 2024 | ||