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Mayo County Council

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Mayo County Council

Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
John O'Hara, FG
Structure
Seats30
Political groups
  Fine Gael (11)
  Fianna Fáil (10)
  Aontú (1)
  Independent Ireland (1)
  Sinn Féin (1)
  Independent (6)
Elections
Last election
7 June 2024
Motto
Irish: Dia is Muire Linn
"God and Mary be with us"
Meeting place
County Hall, Castlebar
Website
Official website Edit this at Wikidata
The area governed by the council

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.

History

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Originally meetings of Mayo County Council took place in Castlebar Courthouse.[1] The county council moved to modern facilities at County Hall 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

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Mayo County Council has two representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly who are part of the West Strategic Planning Area Committee.[3]

Elections

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Members of Mayo 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 (LEAs).

Year FG FF SF Aon II Lab Ind Total
2024 10 10 1 1 1 0 7 30
2019 12 11 1 0 6 30
2014 10 10 3 0 7 30
2009 17 7 2 0 5 31
2004 15 12 1 1 2 31
1999 13 16 0 1 1 31
1991 13 15 0 1 2 31
1985 14 15 0 0 2 31

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

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County Mayo is divided into LEAs 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
WestportBelmullet 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

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The following were elected at the 2024 Mayo County Council election.

2024 seats summary

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Party Seats
Fianna Fáil 10
Fine Gael 10
Aontú 1
Independent Ireland 1
Sinn Féin 1
Independent 7

Councillors by electoral area

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This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.[5]

Council members from 2024 election
LEA Name Party
Ballina John O'Hara Fine Gael
Mark Duffy Independent
Annie May Reape Fianna Fáil
Michael Loftus Fianna Fáil
Joe Faughan Independent
Jarlath Munnelly Fine Gael
Belmullet Paul McNamara Fianna Fáil
Gerry Coyle Fine Gael
Seán Carey Fianna Fáil
Castlebar Michael Kilcoyne Independent
Ger Deere Fine Gael
Blackie Gavin Fianna Fáil
Al McDonnell Fianna Fáil
Cyril Burke Fine Gael
Donna Sheridan Fine Gael
Harry Barrett Independent
Claremorris Patsy O'Brien Independent
Richard Finn Independent
Damien Ryan Fianna Fáil
Alma Gallagher Fine Gael
Michael Burke Fine Gael
Paul Lawless Aontú
Swinford Gerry Murray Sinn Féin
Adrian Forkan Fianna Fáil
John Caulfield Fianna Fáil
Neil Cruise Fine Gael
Westport Chris Maxwell Independent Ireland
Peter Flynn Fine Gael
John O'Malley Independent
Brendan Mulroy Fianna Fáil

Changes in affiliation

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Name LEA Elected as New affiliation Date
Mark Duffy Ballina Independent Fine Gael 10 October 2024[6]

Assessment

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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 2000–2011 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]

References

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  1. ^ "Local Authorities". Oireachtas. 26 May 1982. Archived from the original on 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  2. ^ "Castlebar". Mayo Online. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  3. ^ Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014, Article 5 and 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 18 April 2023.
  4. ^ County of Mayo Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018 (S.I. No. 627 of 2018). Signed on 19 December 2018. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2019. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 8 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Mayo County Council – Elected Candidates". RTÉ News. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  6. ^ Ryan, Emma (10 October 2024). "Independent Mayo Councillor joins Fine Gael with intention to run in general election". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Mayo planning among worst in country". The Mayo News. 17 April 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
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