South Dublin County Council
Encyclopedia
South Dublin County Council is the local authority
for the county of South Dublin
in Ireland
. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council
before its abolition, and one of four councils in the Dublin Region
. The county seat
is at County Hall, Belgard Square North, Tallaght
, with a civic centre at Monastery Road, Clondalkin
.
The county council is governed by the Local Government Act 2001
. The county is divided into five local electoral area
s and has 26 councillors who are elected every five years by single transferable vote
. The county administration is headed by a County manager, currently Joe Horan. The council is the third largest local authority in Ireland with a population of 246,935 people (Census 2006), 90,000 households, and 6,000 businesses, covering an area of 222.74 square kilometres. There are 183,336 local government electors and 174,349 Dáil
electors registered to vote in the County Council administrative area. Major population centres include Clondalkin
, Lucan
, Rathfarnham
, Tallaght
, and Templeogue
.
established a two-tier structure of local government. The top tier consists of 29 county council
s and five city council
s. The bottom tier consists of town councils
. The city of Kilkenny
and four towns which had borough
corporation status before 2001 (Sligo
, Drogheda
, Clonmel
, and Wexford
), are allowed to use the title of "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council", but they have no additional responsibilities. There are 75 other town councils in addition to these five borough councils. Outside the towns, the county councils are solely responsible for local services. There are no town councils within the county of Dublin South.
The Local Government Act 1994 defines how an authority may act. According to Part VI, Section 31 of the Act, the local authority may provide,
It may also act as a library authority.
s, each of which elects between 4–6 councillors. They are: Clondalkin
(6), Lucan
(5), Rathfarnham
(4), Tallaght Central (6), and Tallaght South (5).
at the 2011 general election. Cáit Keane
was later elected to Seanad Éireann
on the Labour Panel Accordingly their council seats were filled by co-option. Former Mayor, Marie Corr, was elected to the office once again to replace departing Mayor, Eamonn Maloney.
, Polling Districts, Electoral Division
s, Townlands, and Polling Places for voting. This hierarchical structure is called a polling scheme. The most recent polling scheme was adopted by the county council on 13 September 2010 and went into operation on 15 February 2011.
There are four Dáil Constituencies
in the county:
and five Local Electoral Areas
:
The constituencies and electoral areas are organized as follows:
Some overlaps occur: Clondalkin local electoral area occupies parts of two constituencies: Dublin Mid West and Dublin South Central. Tallaght Central local electoral area also occupies parts of two constituencies: Dublin South Central and Dublin South West.
The following tables illustrate the detailed administrative-electoral county structure, or polling scheme:
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
for the county of South Dublin
South Dublin
South Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is one of three smaller counties into which County Dublin was divided in 1994. The county seat is Tallaght, the largest suburb of Dublin and the biggest urban centre in the county. Other important centres of population are Lucan and Clondalkin...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is one of three local authorities that comprised the former Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council
Dublin County Council was a local authority for the administrative county of County Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. It was established by the Local Government Act 1898....
before its abolition, and one of four councils in the Dublin Region
Dublin Region
The Dublin Region is a NUTS Level III region of Ireland and is governed by the Dublin Regional Authority. It consists of the area under the jurisdiction of the county councils of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin, as well as Dublin City Council. The Dublin Region has an area of...
. The county seat
County town
A county town is a county's administrative centre in the United Kingdom or Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county. The concept of a county town eventually became detached from its...
is at County Hall, Belgard Square North, Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, with a civic centre at Monastery Road, Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
.
The county council is governed by the Local Government Act 2001
Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002....
. The county is divided into five local electoral area
Local electoral area
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
s and has 26 councillors who are elected every five years by single transferable vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
. The county administration is headed by a County manager, currently Joe Horan. The council is the third largest local authority in Ireland with a population of 246,935 people (Census 2006), 90,000 households, and 6,000 businesses, covering an area of 222.74 square kilometres. There are 183,336 local government electors and 174,349 Dáil
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
electors registered to vote in the County Council administrative area. Major population centres include Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
, Lucan
Lucan, Dublin
In the Irish language, 'Leamhcáin' is translated to 'Lucan', meaning 'Place of the Elm Trees'. The name probably comes from a people that travelled by river, as Lucan is the first place that Elm trees are encountered if travelling inland from the Liffey....
, Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
, Tallaght
Tallaght
Tallaght is the largest town, and county town, of South Dublin County, Ireland. The village area, dating from at least the 17th century, held one of the earliest settlements known in the southern part of the island, and one of medieval Ireland's more important monastic centres.Up to the 1960s...
, and Templeogue
Templeogue
Templeogue is a suburb of southwest Dublin, Ireland. The original Irish name Teach Mealóg refers to a chapel named after Saint Mel that was built there in about 1273....
.
Legal status
The Local Government Act 2001Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002....
established a two-tier structure of local government. The top tier consists of 29 county council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
s and five city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
s. The bottom tier consists of town councils
Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland
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....
. The city of Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
and four towns which had borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
corporation status before 2001 (Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, Clonmel
Clonmel
Clonmel is the county town of South Tipperary in Ireland. It is the largest town in the county. While the borough had a population of 15,482 in 2006, another 17,008 people were in the rural hinterland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian army which sacked both...
, and Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
), are allowed to use the title of "Borough Council" instead of "Town Council", but they have no additional responsibilities. There are 75 other town councils in addition to these five borough councils. Outside the towns, the county councils are solely responsible for local services. There are no town councils within the county of Dublin South.
The Local Government Act 1994 defines how an authority may act. According to Part VI, Section 31 of the Act, the local authority may provide,
- amenities, facilities and services related to
- artistic and cultural activities,
- sports, games and similar activities,
- general recreational and leisure activities,
- civic improvements,
- environmental and heritage protection and improvement, and
- the public use of amenities,
- allotments, fairs and markets and amenities, facilities and services related thereto, and
- facilities and services related to the promotion of public safety, including
- fire safety,
- road safety,
- water safety and rescue and mountain and cave safety and rescue.
It may also act as a library authority.
Management
The Corporate Policy Group (CPG) consists of the Mayor together with the Chairs of each of the Strategic Policy Committees (SPC). The CPG is supported by the County Manager. Its function is to co-ordinate the work of the Committees so that policy decisions can be discussed and agreed for recommendation to the full council."The CPG acts as a sort of Cabinet for the council and is supported by the County Manager."
Mayor and Deputy Mayor
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are chosen from among the councillors. The incumbents are:- Mayor – Marie Corr (Labour Party).
- Deputy Mayor – Cathal King (Sinn Féin)
Strategic Policy Committees
- Development
- Economic Development (including Planning)
- Environment
- Sports, Recreation & Community Affairs
- Arts, Culture, Gaelic, Education & Libraries
- Transportation
Executive management
The County Manager, Joe Horan, was appointed by central government. He has implemented the following structure for his management team:- Director of Corporate, Human Resources and Library Services
- Director of Development, Parks & Roads
- Director of Environmental Services
- Director of Housing, Social Development & Community Development
- Director of Land Use, Economic & Transport Planning
- Head of Finance
- Head of Information Systems
- County Architect
Councillors
The county is divided into five local electoral areaLocal electoral area
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
s, each of which elects between 4–6 councillors. They are: Clondalkin
Clondalkin
-Today:Modern Clondalkin is a busy satellite town of Dublin, with a population of 43,929 in 2006. Retail facilities include Tesco Ireland- and Dunnes Stores-led shopping centres, and Aldi and Lidl stores on the Fonthill Road and New Nangor Road respectively, and the village centre is a base for...
(6), Lucan
Lucan
Lucan is the common English name of the Roman poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus.Lucan may also refer to:-People:*Arthur Lucan , English actor*Sir Lucan the Butler, Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend...
(5), Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham or Rathfarnam is a Southside suburb of Dublin, Ireland. It is south of Terenure, east of Templeogue, and is in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and 16. It is within the administrative areas of both Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Councils.The area of Rathfarnham...
(4), Tallaght Central (6), and Tallaght South (5).
Result of 2009 election
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour Party Labour Party (Ireland) The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish... |
9 | |
| Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
8 | |
| Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál... |
4 | |
| Sinn Féin Sinn Féin Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970... |
3 | |
| Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... s |
1 | |
| People Before Profit Alliance People Before Profit Alliance The People Before Profit Alliance is an Irish political party formed in October 2005. It is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.-Overview:It was established by the Socialist Workers Party... |
1 | |
Councillors by electoral area
†Four councillors who were elected to the council at the 2009 poll, were elected to Dáil ÉireannDáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
at the 2011 general election. Cáit Keane
Cáit Keane
Cáit Keane is an Irish Fine Gael politician and member of Seanad Éireann.Keane first entered politics as a member of the Progressive Democrats , and was elected to represent Terenure on Dublin County Council at the 1991 local elections...
was later elected to Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...
on the Labour Panel Accordingly their council seats were filled by co-option. Former Mayor, Marie Corr, was elected to the office once again to replace departing Mayor, Eamonn Maloney.
2011 co-option
| Elected to 31st Dáil | Electoral area | Party | Co-optee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Dowds Robert Dowds Robert Dowds is an Irish Labour Party politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency at the 2011 general election. He was elected to South Dublin County Council for the Clondalkin electoral area in 1999, and was re-elected at the 2004 and 2009 local... |
Clondalkin | Labour Party Labour Party (Ireland) The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish... |
Breeda Bonner | |
| Derek Keating Derek Keating Derek Keating is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency at the 2011 general election. He was elected as an independent candidate to South Dublin County Council for the Lucan electoral area in 1999, and was re-elected in 2004... |
Lucan | Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
Emer Higgins | |
| Seán Crowe Seán Crowe Seán Crowe is an Irish Sinn Féin politician, and is a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency.Crowe was born in Dublin and has lived there all his life, currently in Tallaght... |
Tallaght Central | Sinn Féin Sinn Féin Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970... |
Maire Devine | |
| Eamonn Maloney Eamonn Maloney Eamonn Maloney is an Irish Labour Party politician. He was elected as a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency at the 2011 general election.... |
Tallaght South | Labour Party Labour Party (Ireland) The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish... |
Chris Bond | |
| Cáit Keane Cáit Keane Cáit Keane is an Irish Fine Gael politician and member of Seanad Éireann.Keane first entered politics as a member of the Progressive Democrats , and was elected to represent Terenure on Dublin County Council at the 1991 local elections... |
Rathfarnham | Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
Anne-Marie Dermody | |
Polling scheme
For administrative and electoral purposes, the county council organizes Dublin South into a hierarchy of electoral units. These are: Local Electoral AreasLocal Electoral Areas
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
, Polling Districts, Electoral Division
District Electoral Division
A district electoral division is a former name given to a low-level territorial division in Ireland. In 1994, both district electoral divisions and wards were renamed as electoral divisions...
s, Townlands, and Polling Places for voting. This hierarchical structure is called a polling scheme. The most recent polling scheme was adopted by the county council on 13 September 2010 and went into operation on 15 February 2011.
There are four Dáil Constituencies
Parliamentary constituencies in the Republic of Ireland
The lower house of the Oireachtas , Dáil Éireann, contains 166 Teachtaí Dála , representing 43 parliamentary constituencies throughout the Republic of Ireland. Depending on its size, each constituency must have at least 3 members and a maximum of five members. The most recent ratio indicates that...
in the county:
- Dublin Mid WestDublin Mid West (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin Mid–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
- Dublin SouthDublin South (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
- Dublin South CentralDublin South Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South–Central is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 5 deputies...
- Dublin South WestDublin South West (Dáil Éireann constituency)Dublin South–West is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects 4 deputies...
and five Local Electoral Areas
Local Electoral Areas
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
:
- Clondalkin
- Lucan
- Rathfarnham
- Tallaght Central
- Tallaght South
The constituencies and electoral areas are organized as follows:
- Dublin Mid West constituency contains local electoral areas Clondalkin and Lucan
- Dublin South contains Rathfarnham
- Dublin South Central contains Clondalkin and Tallaght Central
- Dublin South West contains Tallaght Central and Tallaght South.
Some overlaps occur: Clondalkin local electoral area occupies parts of two constituencies: Dublin Mid West and Dublin South Central. Tallaght Central local electoral area also occupies parts of two constituencies: Dublin South Central and Dublin South West.
The following tables illustrate the detailed administrative-electoral county structure, or polling scheme: