Mayo County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo) is the local authority of County Mayo, 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 30 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, Kevin Kelly. The county town is Castlebar.
Mayo County Council Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Michael Loftus, FF | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 30 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Dia is Muire Linn "God and Mary be with us" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Áras an Chontae, Castlebar | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
History
Originally meetings of Mayo County Council took place in Castlebar Courthouse.[1] The county council moved to modern facilities at County Hall (Irish: Áras an Chontae) further west on The Mall in Castlebar in 1989.[2]
In the early 1930s, the County Council was dissolved for a time and replaced with a Commissioner because of the Mayo librarian controversy.
Regional Assembly
Mayo County Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly who are part of the West Strategic Planning Area Committee.[3]
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Mayo is divided into the following local electoral areas and municipal districts, defined by electoral divisions.[4]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballina | Ardagh, Ardnaree North, Ardnaree South Rural, Ardnaree South Urban, Attymass East, Attymass West, Ballina Rural, Ballina Urban, Ballycastle, Ballysakeery, Carrowmore, Crossmolina North, Crossmolina South, Deel, Derry, Fortland, Kilfian East, Kilfian South, Kilfian West, Kilgarvan, Killala, Lackan North, Lackan South, Mount Falcon, Rathoma, and Sallymount | 6 | |
| Castlebar | Abhainn Bhrain, Addergoole, An Cheapaigh Dhuibh, Baile an Chalaidh, Baile Óbha, Balla, Ballinafad, Ballyhean, Ballynagoraher, Bellavary, Breaghwy, Burren, Burriscarra, Castlebar Rural (part), Castlebar Urban, Clogher (in the former Rural District of Castlebar), Cloonkeen, Croaghmoyle, Islandeady, Killavally, Letterbrick, Manulla, Partraí, Pontoon, Roslee, Strade, Tamhnaigh na Graí, and Turlough | 7 | |
| Claremorris | Claremorris | Ballindine, Ballinrobe, Ballyhaunis, Ballyhowly, Bekan, Caraun, Claremorris, Cloghermore, Cong, Coonard, Course, Crossboyne, Culnacleha, Dalgan, Garrymore, Hollymount, Houndswood, Kilcolman, Kilcommon, Kilmaine, Kilvine, Knock North, Knock South, Mayo, Murneen, Neale, Newbrook, Shrule and Tagheen | 6 |
| Swinford | Aghamore, Ballinamore, Bohola, Brackloon, Callow, Cloonmore, Coolnaha, Cuildoo, Doocastle, Kilbeagh, Kilkelly, Killedan, Kilmovee, Kiltamagh, Loughanboy, Meelick, Sonnagh, Sraheen, Swineford, Toocananagh, Toomore, Tumgesh and Urlaur | 4 | |
| Westport–Belmullet | Westport | Aghagower North, Aghagower South, Aillemore, Bundorragha, Clare Island, Clogher (in the former Rural District of Westport), Croaghpatrick, Derryloughan, Drummin, Emlagh, Erriff, Glenhest, Kilgeever, Kilmaclasser, Kilmeena, Kilsallagh, Knappagh, Louisburgh, Newport East, Owennadornaun, Slievemahanagh, Westport Rural and Westport Urban | 4 |
| Belmullet | Acaill, An Corrán, An Geata Mór Theas, An Geata Mór Thuaidh, Ballycroy North, Ballycroy South, Bangor, Barr Rúscaí, Béal an Mhuirthead, Béal Deirg Mór, Bunaveela, Cnoc an Daimh, Cnoc na Lobhar, Cnoc na Ráithe, Dumha Éige, Gleann Chaisil, Gleann na Muaidhe, Glenco, Guala Mhór, Moing na Bó, Na Monga, Newport West, Sheskin, Slievemore and Srahmore | 3 | |
Councillors
2019 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 12 | |
| Fianna Fáil | 11 | |
| Sinn Féin | 1 | |
| Independent | 6 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 24 May 2019.[5]
| Council members from 2019 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Ballina | John O'Hara | Fine Gael | |
| Mark Duffy | Independent | ||
| Annie May Reape | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Michael Loftus | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Séamus Weir | Independent | ||
| Jarlath Munnelly | Fine Gael | ||
| Belmullet | Gerry Coyle | Fine Gael | |
| Paul McNamara | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Seán Carey | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Castlebar | Michael Kilcoyne | Independent | |
| Blackie Gavin | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Al McDonnell | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ger Deere | Fine Gael | ||
| Cyril Burke | Fine Gael | ||
| Martin McLoughlin | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Donna Sheridan | Fine Gael | ||
| Claremorris | Patsy O'Brien[a] | Fine Gael | |
| Richard Finn | Independent | ||
| Damien Ryan | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John Cribbin | Fine Gael | ||
| Michael Burke | Fine Gael | ||
| Tom Connolly | Fine Gael | ||
| Swinford | Gerry Murray | Sinn Féin | |
| Michael Smyth | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Neil Cruise | Fine Gael | ||
| John Caulfield | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Westport | Christy Hyland | Independent | |
| Peter Flynn | Fine Gael | ||
| Brendan Mulroy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John O'Malley | Independent | ||
Changes in affiliation
| Name | Electoral area | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patsy O'Brien | Claremorris | Fine Gael | Independent | October 2020[6] | ||
Assessment
Mayo County Council was identified in 2011 by An Taisce, the national trust, as among the worst county councils in Ireland's planning system during the 2000–11 period.
County councils in Ireland were assessed by the organisation in relation to overzoning; decisions reversed by An Bord Pleanála after being passed by a local authority; percentage of vacant housing stock; and percentage of one-off houses permitted. An Taisce's report of its findings described the results as "stark and troubling".
In Mayo, many council planning decisions were overturned because the council violated its own County Development Plan. Overdevelopment in Mayo was another problem identified, with too many vacant houses in the county (not inclusive of holiday homes). A spokesman for An Taisce commented, "Mayo didn’t do well on one-off houses either. What a lot of local authorities don’t seem to appreciate is that it is more expensive to provide infrastructure to one-off houses in the countryside than it is to do so to estates."[7]