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 | |
T. P. O'Reilly, FG | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 18 |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 7 June 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Irish: Feardhacht is Fírinne "Manliness and Truth" | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Cavan Courthouse, Cavan | |
| Website | |
| cavancoco | |
History
editThe 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
editCavan 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
editMembers 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.
| Year | FF | FG | SF | Aon | II | Ind | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||||||
| 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
editSince 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
editThe following were elected at the 2024 Cavan County Council election.
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 6 | |
| Fine Gael | 6 | |
| Sinn Féin | 3 | |
| Aontú | 1 | |
| Independent Ireland | 1 | |
| Independent | 1 | |
Councillors by electoral area
edit| Council members from 2024 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Bailieborough–Cootehill | Sarah O'Reilly | Aontú | |
| Carmel Brady | Fine Gael | ||
| Stiofán Conaty | Sinn Féin | ||
| Val Smith | Fine Gael | ||
| Clifford Kelly | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Niall Smith | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ballyjamesduff | Shane P. O'Reilly | Independent Ireland | |
| Trevor Smith | Fine Gael | ||
| Winston Bennet | Fine Gael | ||
| Phillip Brady | Fianna Fáil | ||
| T. P. O'Reilly | Fine Gael | ||
| Noel Connell | Sinn Féin | ||
| Cavan–Belturbet | Áine Smith | Fianna Fáil | |
| Brendan Fay | Independent | ||
| Damien Brady | Sinn Féin | ||
| John Paul Feeley | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Niamh Brady | Fine Gael | ||
| Patricia Walsh | Fianna Fáil | ||
References
edit- ^ "Local Authorities". Oireachtas. 26 May 1982. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s. 1: Establishment of county councils (61 & 62 Vict., c. 37 of 1898, s. 1). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s. 124: Commencement of Act (61 & 62 Vict., c. 37 of 1898, s. 124). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Orders declaring the boundaries of administrative counties and defining county electoral divisions: County of Cavan". 27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480). Dublin: Local Government Board for Ireland. 1900. p. 243.
- ^ Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, s. 3: Additional members and chairman and vice-chairman of county council, and constitution of chairman as justice (61 & 62 Vict., c. 37 of 1898, s. 3). Enacted on 12 August 1898. Act of the UK Parliament. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 1925, s. 3: Abolition of rural district councils (No. 5 of 1925, s. 3). Enacted on 26 March 1925. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Table 9: Population, Area and Valuation of urban and rural districts and of all towns with a population of 1,500 inhabitants or over, showing particulars of town and village population and of the number of persons per 100 acres" (PDF). 1926 Census. Central Statistics Office. p. 29. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Appendix: Local Electoral Areas". Annual report of the Local Government Board for Ireland for year 1921. Local Government Board for Ireland. 1921. p. 16.
- ^ Local Government Act 1925, s. 57: Membership of county councils (No. 5 of 1925, s. 57). Enacted on 26 March 1925. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Table 6: Population, etc., of each County Electoral Area, each Borough Electoral Area and of each Rural District of County Dublin" (PDF). 1926 Census. Central Statistics Office. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Table 6: Population, Area and Valuation of each County Electoral Area and of each Borough Electoral Area" (PDF). 1946 Census. Central Statistics Office. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Local Government Act 1941, s. 33: Number of members of councils of counties (No. 23 of 1941, s. 33). Enacted on 23 September 1941. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, 7th Sch.: Number of members of local authorities (No. 37 of 2001, 7th Sch.). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee Report 2013" (PDF). Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee. 29 May 2013. pp. 24–26. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 April 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014, s. 15: Number of members of local authorities (No. 1 of 2014, s. 15). Enacted on 27 January 2014. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014, s. 24: Dissolution of town councils and transfer date (No. 1 of 2014, s. 24). Enacted on 27 January 2014. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 May 2022.
- ^ Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, Schedule 3 (S.I. No. 573 of 2014). Signed on 16 December 2014. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 19 January 2022.
- ^ County of Cavan Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 611 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 January 2019.