Clare County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae an Chláir) is the local authority of County Clare, 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 28 elected members who are elected for a five-year term. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach (chairperson). The county administration is headed by a Chief Executive, Pat Dowling. The county town is Ennis.
Clare County Council Comhairle Contae an Chláir | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Joe Cooney, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 28 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Motto | |
| Dílis d'ar nOidreacht (Irish) "True to our Heritage" | |
| Meeting place | |
| Áras Contae an Chláir, Ennis | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
History
Clare County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Clare, succeeding in area of the former judicial county of Clare, with the addition of the district electoral divisions of Drummaan, Inishcaltra North, and Mountshannon, formerly within the judicial county of County Galway.[1][2][3]
Originally meetings of Clare County Council were held at Ennis Courthouse.[4] Áras Contae an Chláir, a new county council headquarters, was completed in May 2008.[5]
Regional Assembly
Clare County Council has two representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the Mid-West Strategic Planning Area Committee.[6][7]
Elections
Members of Clare 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 | GP | Lab | PDs | Ind | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 28 | |||||||
| 2014 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 28 | |||||||
| 2009 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 32 | |||||||
| 2004 | 15 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 32 | |||||||
| 1999 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 32 | |||||||
| 1991 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 32 | |||||||
| 1985 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | 5 | 32 | |||||||
| 1979 | 17 | 9 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 31 | |||||||
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Clare is divided into the following local electoral areas and municipal districts, defined by electoral divisions.[8]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ennis | Clareabbey, Doora, Ennis No. 1 Urban, Ennis No. 2 Urban, Ennis No. 3 Urban, Ennis No. 4 Urban, Ennis Rural, Kilnamona, Kilraghtis, Spancelhill and Templemaley | 7 | |
| Killaloe | Ayle, Ballyblood, Ballynahinch, Boherglass, Caher, Caherhurly, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Scarriff), Cappaghabaun, Carrowbaun, Castlecrine, Cloghera, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Tulla), Cloontra, Cloonusker, Coolreagh, Corlea, Crusheen, Dangan, Derrynagittagh, Drummaan, Fahymore, Feakle, Glendree, Inishcaltra North, Inishcaltra South, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Killanena, Killokennedy, Killuran, Kilseily, Kiltannon, Kyle, Lackareagh, Loughea, Mountshannon, Newgrove, OBriensbridge, Ogonnelloe, Quin, Rathclooney, Rossroe, Scarriff, Toberbreeda, Tomfinlough and Tulla | 5 | |
| Shannon | Ballycannan, Ballyglass, Cappavilla, Clenagh, Cratloe, Drumline, Killeely, Kiltenanlea, Mountievers, Newmarket, Sixmilebridge and Urlan | 7 | |
| West Clare | Ennistymon | Abbey, Ballagh, Ballyea, Ballyeighter, Ballysteen, Ballyvaskin, Boston, Carran, Castletown, Cloghaun, Cloonanaha, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Ennistimon), Corrofin, Derreen, Drumcreehy, Dysert, Ennistimon, Gleninagh, Glenroe, Kilfenora, Killaspuglonane, Killilagh, Killinaboy, Kilshanny, Kiltoraght, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna, Lurraga, Magherareagh, Milltown Malbay, Mount Elva, Moy, Muckanagh, Noughaval, Oughtmama, Rath, Rathborney, Ruan and Smithstown | 4 |
| Kilrush | Annagh, Ballynacally, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Clondagad, Cloonadrum, Clooncoorha, Coolmeen, Cooraclare, Creegh, Doonbeg, Drumellihy, Einagh, Formoyle, Furroor, Glenmore, Kilballyowen, Kilchreest, Kilcloher, Kilfearagh, Kilfiddane, Kilkee, Killadysert, Killanniv, Killard, Killimer, Killofin, Killone, Kilmihil, Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Killadysert), Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Kilrush Rural, Kilrush Urban, Kinturk, Knock, Knocknaboley, Knocknagore, Liscasey, Lisheen, Moveen, Moyarta, Mullagh, Querrin, Rahona, Rinealon, St. Martins, Tullig and Tullycreen | 5 | |
Current councillors
The following were elected at the 2019 Clare County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 13 | |
| Fine Gael | 8 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | |
| Green | 1 | |
| Independent | 5 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 24 May 2019.
| Council members from 2019 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Ennis | Mary Howard | Fine Gael | |
| Johnny Flynn | Fine Gael | ||
| Mark Nestor[a] | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Clare Colleran Molloy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Paul Murphy | Fine Gael | ||
| Pat Daly | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ann Norton | Independent | ||
| Ennistymon | Shane Talty | Fianna Fáil | |
| Joe Garrihy | Fine Gael | ||
| Róisín Garvey[a] | Green | ||
| Joe Killeen | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Killaloe | Joe Cooney | Fine Gael | |
| Pat Hayes | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Tony O'Brien | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Alan O'Callaghan | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Pat Burke | Fine Gael | ||
| Kilrush | P. J. Kelly | Fianna Fáil | |
| Gabriel Keating | Fine Gael | ||
| Bill Chambers | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Cillian Murphy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ian Lynch | Independent | ||
| Shannon | Cathal Crowe[a] | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Crowe | Fine Gael | ||
| Michael Begley | Independent | ||
| P. J. Ryan | Independent | ||
| Mike McKee[a] | Sinn Féin | ||
| Gerry Flynn | Independent | ||
| Pat McMahon | Fianna Fáil | ||
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | Electoral area | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sinn Féin | Mike McKee | Shannon | Death | December 2019 | Donna McGettigan[9] | |
| Fianna Fáil | Cathal Crowe | Shannon | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2020 general election | February 2020 | Pat O'Gorman[10] | |
| Green | Róisín Garvey | Ennistymon | Nominated by the Taoiseach to Seanad Éireann | June 2020 | Susan Crawford[11] | |
| Green | Susan Crawford | Ennistymon | Resignation[12] | August 2021 | Liam Grant[13] | |
| Fianna Fáil | Mark Nestor | Ennis | Resignation to enter the priesthood[14] | 8 September 2022 | Tom O'Callaghan[15] | |