Kilkenny County Council

Kilkenny County Council Comhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh
Type
Type	County council
Leadership
Cathaoirleach	Mary Hilda Cavanagh, FG
Structure
Seats	24
Political groups	Fianna Fáil (9)      Fine Gael (7)      Sinn Féin (3)      Labour Party (2)      Green Party (1)      Renua Ireland (1)      Independent (1)
Elections
Last election	23 May 2014
Meeting place
County Hall, Kilkenny
Website
www.kilkennycoco.ie

The area governed by the council

Kilkenny County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Chill Chainnigh) is the authority responsible for local government in County Kilkenny, 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 24 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, Colette Byrne. The county town is Kilkenny city.

History

This structure is a modified version of the system introduced in 1898, with county boroughs renamed as cities, urban districts and municipal boroughs renamed as towns or boroughs, and rural districts abolished (everywhere except County Dublin in 1925, and in County Dublin in 1930). The distinction between urban district and "towns with town commissioners" has been abolished.

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 marked the beginning of the system of local government. The first elections were held in Kilkenny until Thursday 6 April 1899 at a cost of £1,268. The first meeting of Kilkenny County Council took place on Saturday 22 April 1899 in the Courthouse, Kilkenny. The very first resolution passed expressed the demand for Home Rule. The Rural District Councils were responsible for housing, sanitary and local roads in their areas, while in their role as Boards of Guardians they were responsible for what we would now call health services.

County Councils were responsible for financial affairs, appointments of various committees, maintenance of courthouses and minor services such as food and drug sampling, malicious injuries and other minor services. During the 1960s a range of new services came into the fold – library, fire-fighting, vocational and agricultural services, industrial and commercial issues, and harbour boards. In 1970 the Health Board came into being, taking away responsibility for this service from Kilkenny County Council.

County Council legislation passed in the last 30 years on the Environment included Water Pollution Act 1977 and the Air Pollution Act 1987. Also provision of public amenities, parks and recreational activities and refuse collection was privatised.

In 1989, the Council appointed an Arts Officer. In 2000, as part of a government initiative called "Better Local Government - A Programme for Change", a new structure was introduced to Kilkenny County Council which included five Strategic Policy Committees.

Councillors

For the purpose of elections the county is divided into four local electoral areas: Castlecomer (6), Kilkenny City East (6), Kilkenny City West (6) and Piltown (6).^[1]

2014 seats summary

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 23 May 2014.^[3]

Changes in affiliation

References

Sources

• Tom Boyle and Michael O'Dwyer. Kilkenny County Council: A Century of Local Government. Kilkenny: Kilkenny County Council, 1999.

External links

• Official website