Wicklow County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Chill Mhantáin) is the local authority of County Wicklow, 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 32 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 Chief Executive, Brian Gleeson. The county town is Wicklow.
Wicklow County Council Comhairle Chontae Chill Mhantáin | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Shay Cullen, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 32 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 24 May 2019 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Meanma Saor "Free Spirits" | |
| Meeting place | |
| Áras an Chontae, Wicklow | |
| Website | |
| wicklow.ie | |
History
Originally Wicklow County Council held its meetings in Wicklow Courthouse.[1] The county council moved to a new facility, known as County Buildings (Irish: Áras an Chontae), in 1977.[2]
Regional Assembly
Wicklow County Council has three representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area Committee.[3]
Local electoral areas and municipal districts
County Wicklow is divided into local electoral areas, defined by electoral divisions, for elections to the council, and into municipal districts which exercise powers of the council locally.[4][5]
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arklow | Arklow No. 1 Urban, Arklow No. 2 Urban, Arklow Rural, Aughrim, Avoca, Ballinaclash, Ballinacor, Ballinderry, Ballyarthur, Cronebane, Dunganstown South, Dunganstown West, Ennereilly, Kilballyowen, Kilbride (in the former Rural District of Rathdrum), Kilpipe, Knockrath, and Rathdrum | 6 | |
| Baltinglass | Aghowle, Ballingate, Ballinglen, Ballinguile, Ballybeg, Baltinglass, Blessington, Burgage, Carnew, Coolattin, Coolballintaggart, Coolboy, Cronelea, Donaghmore, Donard, Dunlavin, Eadestown, Hartstown, Hollywood, Humewood, Imael North, Imael South, Kilbride (in the former Rural District of Baltinglass No.1), Killinure, Lackan, Lugglass, Money, Rath, Rathdangan, Rathsallagh, Shillelagh, Stratford, Talbotstown, The Grange, Tinahely, Tober, Togher (in the former Rural District of Baltinglass No.1) and Tuckmill | 6 | |
| Bray | Bray East | Bray No. 1 Urban, Bray No. 2 Urban, Bray No. 3 Urban and Rathmichael (Bray) | 4 |
| Bray West | Enniskerry, Kilmacanoge and Powerscourt | 4 | |
| Greystones | Delgany, Greystones, Kilcoole and Newcastle Lower | 6 | |
| Wicklow | Altidore, Ballycullen, Brockagh, Calary, Dunganstown East, Glendalough, Glenealy, Killiskey, Moneystown, Newcastle Upper, Oldtown, Togher (in the former Rural District of Rathdrum), Trooperstown, Wicklow Rural and Wicklow Urban | 6 | |
Councillors
The following were elected at the 2019 Wicklow County Council election.
2019 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fine Gael | 9 | |
| Fianna Fáil | 7 | |
| Labour | 2 | |
| Green | 2 | |
| Sinn Féin | 2 | |
| Social Democrats | 1 | |
| Independent | 9 | |
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 | |
| Arklow | Pat Kennedy | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pat Fitzgerald | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Miriam Murphy | Independent | ||
| Peir Leonard | Independent | ||
| Sylvester Bourke | Fine Gael | ||
| Tommy Annesley | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Baltinglass | Edward Timmins | Fine Gael | |
| Gerry O'Neill | Independent | ||
| Patsy Glennon | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Vincent Blake | Fine Gael | ||
| Avril Cronin | Fine Gael | ||
| John Mullen | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Bray East | Steven Matthews[a] | Green | |
| Grace McManus | Sinn Féin | ||
| Aoife Flynn-Kennedy | Fine Gael | ||
| Anne Ferris | Labour | ||
| Bray West | Joe Behan | Independent | |
| Melanie Corrigan | Fine Gael | ||
| Dermot "Daisy" O'Brien | Sinn Féin | ||
| Rory O'Connor | Independent | ||
| Greystones | Jennifer Whitmore[a] | Social Democrats | |
| Tom Fortune | Independent | ||
| Lourda Scott | Green | ||
| Gerry Walsh | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Mags Crean | Independent | ||
| Derek Mitchell | Fine Gael | ||
| Wicklow | Shay Cullen | Fine Gael | |
| John Snell | Independent | ||
| Gail Dunne | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Irene Winters | Fine Gael | ||
| Paul O'Brien | Labour | ||
| Mary Kavanagh | Independent | ||
- Notes
Co-options
| Party | Outgoing | Electoral area | Reason | Date | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Steven Matthews | Bray East | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2020 general election | February 2020 | Erika Doyle | |
| Social Democrats | Jennifer Whitmore | Greystones | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2020 general election | February 2020 | Jodie Neary | |
| Independent | Mags Crean | Greystones | Resignation | June 2022 | Stephen Stokes | |
| Social Democrats | Jodie Neary | Greystones | Resignation | December 2022 | Mark Barry | |