Waterford City and County Council (Irish: Comhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phort Láirge) is the local authority of the City of Waterford and County Waterford in Ireland. It came into operation on 1 June 2014 after the 2014 local elections.[1] It is a merger of Waterford City Council and Waterford County Council under the provisions of the Local Government Reform Act 2014. As a city and 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 32 elected members. Elections are held every five years and are by single transferable vote. The head of the council has the title of Mayor. The city and county administration is headed by a Chief Executive, Michael Walsh. The administrative centres are Waterford and Dungarvan.
Waterford City and County Council Comhairle Cathrach agus Contae Phort Láirge | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | City and County council |
| Leadership | |
Joe Conway, Ind | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 32 |
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Political groups |
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| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Meeting place | |
_(cropped).jpg)  City Hall, Waterford (top) and Civic Offices, Dungarvan (bottom) | |
| Website | |
Official website  | |
Regional Assembly
Waterford City and County Council has two representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the South-East Strategic Planning Area Committee.[2]
Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts
The City and County of Waterford is divided into the metropolitan and municipal districts and local electoral areas, defined by electoral divisions.[3] The municipal district which contains the administrative area of the former Waterford City Council is referred to as a Metropolitan District.[4]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan District of Waterford City | Tramore–Waterford City West | Islandikane, Killoteran, Pembrokestown, Tramore; and the electoral divisions of Ballybricken, Bilberry, Centre A, Centre B, Cleaboy, Custom House B, Ferrybank, Gracedieu, Military Road, Newports Square, Shortcourse and The Glen, as specified in the Waterford County Borough (Wards) Regulations 1983[5] | 6 |
| Waterford City East | Ballynakill (in the former Rural District of Waterford No. 1), Faithlegg (Part), Killea, Kilmacleague, Rathmoylan, Woodstown;and the electoral divisions of Ballymaclode, Ballynakill (part), Farranshoneen, Grange South, Grange Upper, Newtown and Park, as specified in the Waterford County Borough (Wards) Regulations 1983 | 6 | |
| Waterford City South | Drumcannon, Kilbarry (Part) (in the former Rural District of Waterford No. 1);and the electoral divisions of Ballybeg North, Ballybeg South, Ballynaneashagh, Ballytruckle, Custom House A, Grange North, Kilbarry, Kingsmeadow, Larchville, Lisduggan, Morrissons Avenue East, Morrissons Avenue West, Morrissons Road, Mount Sion, Poleberry, Roanmore, Slievekeale, Ticor North and Ticor South, as specified in the Waterford County Borough (Wards) Regulations 1983 | 6 | |
| Dungarvan–Lismore | Dungarvan | Aird Mhór (in the former Rural District of Dungarvan), An Rinn, Ardmore (in the former Rural District of Youghal No. 2), Baile Mhac Airt, Ballyheeny, Bohadoon, Cappagh, Carriglea, Clashmore, Clonea (in the former Rural District of Dungarvan), Colligan, Dromore, Dungarvan No. 1 Urban, Dungarvan No. 2 Urban, Dungarvan Rural, Glenwilliam, Grallagh, Grange, Keereen, Kinsalebeg, Mountkennedy, Mountstuart and Whitechurch. | 6 |
| Lismore | Ballyduff, Ballyhane, Ballyin, Ballynamult, Ballysaggartmore, Cappoquin, Castlerichard, Dromana, Drumroe, Gortnapeaky, Graignagower, Kilcockan, Kilwatermoy East, Kilwatermoy West, Lismore Rural, Lismore Urban, Mocollop, Modelligo (in the former Rural District of Dungarvan), Modelligo (in the former Rural District of Lismore), Seskinan, Tallow and Templemichael. | 3 | |
| Comeragh | Portlaw–Kilmacthomas | Annestown, Ballydurn, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Carrickbeg Rural, Carrigcastle, Clonea (in the former Rural District of Carrick-on-Suir No. 2), Comeragh, Coumaraglin, Dunhill, Fenoagh, Fews, Foxs Castle, Gardenmorris, Georgestown, Glen, Gurteen, Kilbarrymeaden, Kilmacomma, Kilmacthomas, Kilmeadan (in the former Rural District of Carrick-on-Suir No. 2), Kilmeadan (in the former Rural District of Waterford No. 1), Kilronan, Knockaunbrandaun, Knockmahon, Mothel, Newcastle, Newtown (in the former Rural District of Kilmacthomas), Portlaw, Rathgormuck, Reisk, Ross, St. Marys, Stradbally and Tinnasaggart. | 5 |
Councillors
The council has 32 seats. The following were elected at the 2019 Waterford City and County Council election.
2019 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 7 | |
| Fine Gael | 7 | |
| Sinn Féin | 6 | |
| Labour | 4 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Independent | 6 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 24 May 2019.[6]
| Council members from 2019 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Dungarvan | Damien Geoghegan | Fine Gael | |
| Tom Cronin | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Pat Nugent | Fine Gael | ||
| Conor D. McGuinness | Sinn Féin | ||
| Séamus O'Donnell | Independent | ||
| Thomas Phelan | Labour | ||
| Lismore | John Pratt | Labour | |
| James Tobin[a] | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Declan Doocey | Fine Gael | ||
| Portlaw–Kilmacthomas | Seánie Power | Fine Gael | |
| Liam Brazil | Fine Gael | ||
| John O'Leary | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ger Barron | Labour | ||
| Declan Clune | Sinn Féin | ||
| Tramore–Waterford City West | Marc Ó Cathasaigh[a] | Green | |
| Joe Conway | Independent | ||
| Lola O'Sullivan | Fine Gael | ||
| Joe Kelly | Independent | ||
| Éamon Quinlan | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Jim Griffin | Sinn Féin | ||
| Waterford City East | Matt Shanahan[a] | Independent | |
| David Daniels | Independent | ||
| Eddie Mulligan[a] | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Adam Wyse | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Jody Power | Green | ||
| Pat Fitzgerald | Sinn Féin | ||
| Waterford City South | John Hearne | Sinn Féin | |
| John Cummins[a] | Fine Gael | ||
| Dónal Barry | Independent | ||
| Jason Murphy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Séamus Ryan | Labour | ||
| Breda Brennan | Sinn Féin | ||
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | Electoral area | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Marc Ó Cathasaigh | Tramore–Waterford City West | Elected to the 33rd Dáil at the 2020 general election[7][8] | February 2020 | Laura Swift[9][10][11] | |
| Independent | Matt Shanahan | Waterford City East | Elected to the 33rd Dáil at the 2020 general election[7][8] | February 2020 | Mary Roche[11][a] | |
| Green | Laura Swift | Tramore–Waterford City West | Resignation[12] | June 2020 | Susan Gallagher[13][14] | |
| Fine Gael | John Cummins | Waterford City South | Elected to 26th Seanad at the 2020 Seanad election[15] | April 2020 | Frank Quinlan[16][14] | |
| Fianna Fáil | James Tobin | Lismore | Death of councillor | July 2022 | Mairéad Tobin | |
| Fianna Fáil | Eddie Mulligan | Waterford City East | Resignation | August 2022 | Stephanie Keating | |
- Notes
Changes in affiliation
| Name | Electoral area | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Roche | Waterford City East | Independent | Social Democrats | November 2022 | ||