Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland
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The term Town Council was introduced into Local government in the Republic of Ireland by the Local Government Act 2001. From 1 January 2002 the existing Urban District Councils and boards of Town Commissioners were renamed as Town Councils.
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[edit] Towns with town councils
The Local Government Act 2001 listed the Town Councils in Schedule 6, as follows:
Former Urban Districts
- Arklow
- Athlone
- Athy
- Ballina
- Ballinasloe (Ballinasloe Town Council)
- Birr
- Bray
- Buncrana
- Bundoran
- Carlow
- Carrickmacross
- Carrick-on-Suir
- Cashel
- Castlebar
- Castleblayney
- Cavan
- Clonakilty
- Clones
- Cobh
- Dundalk
- Dungarvan
- Ennis
- Enniscorthy
- Fermoy
- Kells
- Killarney
- Kilrush
- Kinsale
- Letterkenny
- Listowel
- Longford
- Macroom
- Mallow
- Midleton
- Monaghan
- Naas
- Navan
- Nenagh
- New Ross
- Skibbereen
- Templemore
- Thurles
- Tipperary
- Tralee
- Trim
- Tullamore
- Westport
- Wicklow
- Youghal
Former Town Commissioners
- Ardee
- Balbriggan
- Ballybay
- Ballyshannon
- Bandon
- Bantry
- Belturbet
- Boyle
- Cootehill
- Droichead Nua
- Edenderry
- Gorey
- Granard
- Greystones
- Kilkee
- Leixlip
- Lismore
- Loughrea
- Mountmellick
- Muinebheag
- Mullingar
- Passage West
- Portlaoise
- Shannon
- Tramore
- Tuam
[edit] Establishing and dissolving Town Councils
Under Section 185 of the 2001 act, new Town Councils can be established in any town with a population of at least 7,500. The application must be made by at least 100 local government electors, or 10% of the electors of the proposed town, whichever is the greater. After a period of public consultation the application is considered by the County Council for the area in which the town is situated. The County Council’s recommendation is referred to the Local Government Commission. If the Commission approves the establishment of a Town Council, an order signed by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government will formally create the new council.
Under Section 187 of the same act, a Town Council can apply to the Minister to be dissolved.
[edit] Elected members
Elections are held to Town Councils every five years. Towns are not subdivided for local elections, being treated as a single constituency. Councillors are elected by the single transferable vote system of proportional representation. The towns of Bray, Dundalk and Tralee have twelve elected members, all other towns have nine. A Town Council with nine members can apply for the number to be increased to twelve if the population is greater than 15,000 at the previous census.
[edit] Titles of chairpersons
The chairperson and deputy of a town Council are designated as Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach respectively. However, Schedule 8 of the Local Government Act 2001 allows alternative titles for the individuals elected to chair Town Councils, namely:
- In the Irish language Méara Bhaile ....... and Leas-Mhéara Bhaile ....... followed by the name of the town in Irish
- In the English language Mayor of the Town of ....... and Deputy Mayor of the Town of ....... followed by the name of the town in English.
[edit] References
- Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37 of 2001)
