Local electoral area

A local electoral area (LEA) is an electoral area for elections to local authorities in Ireland. All elections use the single transferable vote. The boundaries of LEAs are defined by statutory instrument in terms of lower-level units called electoral divisions (EDs).

Municipal districts

A municipal district is a division of a local authority which can exercise certain powers of the local authority. They came into being on 1 June 2014, ten days after the local elections, under the provisions of the Local Government Reform Act 2014.[1][2] Of the 31 local authorities, 25 are subdivided into municipal districts, which comprise one or more LEA. The exceptions are the three city councils (Cork City, Dublin City and Galway City) and the three county councils in Dublin (Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin). A district associated with a city or borough is termed a metropolitan district or borough district respectively.

In 2019, John Paul Phelan, Minister of State for Local Government and Electoral Reform commented in the Dáil:[3]

Municipal districts have an extensive list of functions currently, but the situation is haphazard ... some local authorities are better at performing some functions than others. I have found that some local authorities have a strong municipal district structure, with the districts being where most of the nitty-gritty work of local authorities is done, be it roads, footpaths or lights. Some do not have that structure, though, with decisions rehashed or debated again at the councils' plenary sessions.

Boundaries

Boundaries for local electoral areas and municipal district are determined by statutory instrument of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.[4] The minister must first establish an independent boundary committee, but need not accept its advice. A boundary committee has been required since 1994 for electoral areas.[5][6] The 2012–13 Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee considered both administrative areas (municipal districts, though not counties/cities) and electoral areas.[6] In 2015, separate committees were set up to consider adjustments to county and municipal boundaries passing through each of four urban areas: Athlone, Carlow, Drogheda, and Waterford.[7] A Boundary Committee established in 2017 and which reported in June 2018 recommended alterations to municipal districts and local electoral areas which were implemented in December 2018.

Areas

Below are the districts and local electoral areas as defined by the most recent SI in each case and which were used at the 2019 local elections. Unless otherwise specified, districts are titled "Municipal District of Carlow", etc.

Council	Seats	District	Local Electoral Area (LEA)	Seats
Carlow County Council[8]	18	Carlow		7
		Muinebeag		5
		Tullow		6
Cavan County Council[9]	18	Bailieborough—Cootehill		6
		Ballyjamesduff		6
		Cavan–Belturbet		6
Clare County Council[10]	28	Ennis		7
		Killaloe		5
		Shannon		7
		West Clare	Ennistymon	4
			Kilrush	5
Cork City Council[11]	31		Cork City North-East	6
			Cork City North-West	6
			Cork City South-Central	6
			Cork City South-East	6
			Cork City South-West	7
Cork County Council[12]	55	Bandon—Kinsale		6
		Carrigaline		6
		Cobh		6
		East Cork	Midleton	7
		Fermoy		6
		Kanturk—Mallow	Kanturk	4
			Mallow	5
		Macroom		6
		West Cork	Bantry—West Cork	4
			Skibbereen—West Cork	5
Donegal County Council[13]	37	Donegal		6
		Glenties		6
		Inishowen	Buncrana	5
			Carndonagh	4
		Letterkenny—Milford	Letterkenny	7
			Milford	3
		Lifford—Stranorlar		6
Dublin City Council[14]	63		Artane—Whitehall	6
			Ballyfermot—Drimnagh	5
			Ballymun—Finglas	6
			Cabra—Glasnevin	7
			Clontarf	6
			Donaghmede	5
			Kimmage—Rathmines	6
			North Inner City	7
			Pembroke	5
			South East Inner City	5
			South West Inner City	5
Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council[15]	40		Blackrock	6
			Dundrum	7
			Dún Laoghaire	7
			Glencullen—Sandyford	7
			Killiney—Shankill	6
			Stillorgan	6
Fingal County Council[16]	40		Balbriggan	5
			Blanchardstown—Mulhuddart	5
			Castleknock	6
			Howth—Malahide	7
			Ongar	5
			Rush—Lusk	5
			Swords	7
Galway City Council[17]	18		Galway City West	6
			Galway City Central	6
			Galway City East	6
Galway County Council[18]	39	Athenry	Athenry—Oranmore	7
		Ballinasloe		6
		Conamara	Conamara North	4
			Conamara South	5
		Loughrea	Gort—Kinvara	5
			Loughrea	5
		Tuam		7
Kerry County Council[19]	33	An Daingean—Castleisland	An Daingean	3
			Castleisland	4
		Kenmare		6
		Killarney		7
		Listowel		6
		Tralee		7
Kildare County Council[20]	40	Athy		5
		Celbridge—Leixlip	Celbridge	4
			Leixlip	3
		Clane—Maynooth	Clane	5
			Maynooth	5
		Kildare—Newbridge	Kildare	5
			Newbridge	6
		Naas		7
Kilkenny County Council[21]	24	Callan—Thomastown		6
		Castlecomer		6
		Kilkenny City	Kilkenny	7
		Piltown		5
Laois County Council[22]	19	Borris-in-Ossory—Mountmellick		6
		Graiguecullen—Portarlington		6
		Portlaoise		7
Leitrim County Council[23]	18	Ballinamore		6
		Carrick-on-Shannon		6
		Manorhamilton		6
Limerick City and County Council[24]	40	Metropolitan District of Limerick City	Limerick City East	7
			Limerick City North	7
			Limerick City West	7
		Adare—Rathkeale		6
		Cappamore—Kilmallock		7
		Newcastle West		6
Longford County Council[25]	18	Ballymahon		6
		Granard		5
		Longford		7
Louth County Council[26]	29	Ardee		6
		Borough District of Drogheda	Drogheda Rural	4
			Drogheda Urban	6
		Dundalk	Dundalk—Carlingford	6
			Dundalk South	7
Mayo County Council[27]	30	Ballina		6
		Castlebar		7
		Claremorris	Claremorris	6
			Swinford	4
		Westport—Belmullet	Westport	4
			Belmullet	3
Meath County Council[28]	40	Ashbourne		6
		Kells		7
		Laytown—Bettystown		7
		Navan		7
		Ratoath		7
		Trim		6
Monaghan County Council[29]	18	Ballybay—Clones		5
		Carrickmacross—Castleblayney		6
		Monaghan		7
Offaly County Council[30]	19	Birr		6
		Edenderry		6
		Tullamore		7
Roscommon County Council[31]	18	Athlone		6
		Boyle		6
		Roscommon		6
Sligo County Council[32]	18	Borough District of Sligo	Sligo—Strandhill	6
		Ballymote—Tobercurry		7
		Sligo—Drumcliff		7
South Dublin County Council[33]	40		Clondalkin	7
			Firhouse—Bohernabreena	5
			Lucan	5
			Palmerstown—Fonthill	5
			Rathfarnham—Templeogue	7
			Tallaght Central	6
			Tallaght South	5
Tipperary County Council[34]	40	Borough District of Clonmel	Clonmel	6
		Cahir—Cashel	Cahir	4
			Cashel—Tipperary	7
		Carrick-on-Suir		5
		Nenagh	Nenagh	5
			Newport	4
		Thurles	Thurles	5
			Roscrea—Templemore	4
Waterford City and County Council[35]	32	Metropolitan District of Waterford City	Tramore—Waterford City West	6
			Waterford City East	6
			Waterford City South	6
		Comeragh	Portlaw—Kilmacthomas	5
		Dungarvan—Lismore	Dungarvan	6
			Lismore	3
Westmeath County Council[36]	20	Athlone—Moate	Athlone	5
			Moate	4
		Mullingar—Kinnegad	Mullingar	6
			Kinnegad	5
Wexford County Council[37]	34	Enniscorthy		6
		Gorey—Kilmuckridge	Gorey	6
			Kilmuckridge	4
		New Ross		6
		Rosslare		5
		Borough District of Wexford	Wexford	7
Wicklow County Council[38]	32	Arklow		6
		Baltinglass		6
		Bray	Bray East	4
			Bray West	4
		Greystones		6
		Wicklow		6

See also

• Local government in the Republic of Ireland
• Counties of Ireland
• Dáil constituencies

References

1. "Local Government Reform". Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
2. "S.I. No. 215/2014 - Local Government Reform Act 2014 (2014 Establishment Day) Order 2014". Irish Statute Book. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
3. Phelan, John Paul (23 January 2019). "Local Government Bill 2018: From the Seanad". Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) debates. Oireachtas. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
4. "Local Government Reform Act 2014, Section 19". Irish Statute Book. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
5. "Local Government Act, 1994, Section 24". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
6. Local Electoral Area Boundary Committee (30 May 2013). "Report 2013" (PDF). Dublin: Stationery Office. pp. 13–14. ISBN 978-1-4064-2767-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
7. "Minister Alan Kelly Appoints Groups to Review Local Government Boundaries in Drogheda/Athlone/Waterford/Carlow". News. Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government. 19 June 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
8. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 610/2018 - County of Carlow Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 611/2018 - County of Cavan Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
10. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 612/2018 - County of Clare Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
11. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 January 2019). "S.I. No. 27/2019 - City Of Cork Local Electoral Areas Order 2019". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 15 March 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (31 January 2019). "S.I. No. 28/2019 - County Of Cork Local Electoral Areas And Municipal Districts Order 2019". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 15 March 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
13. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 613/2018 - County of Donegal Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 614/2018 - City of Dublin Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
15. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 615/2018 - County of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
16. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 616/2018 - County of Fingal Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
17. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 617/2018 - City of Galway Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
18. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 618/2018 - County of Galway Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
19. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 619/2018 - County of Kerry Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
20. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 620/2018 - County of Kildare Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
21. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 621/2018 - County of Kilkenny Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
22. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 622/2018 - County of Laois Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
23. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (19 December 2018). "S.I. No. 623/2018 - County of Leitrim Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
24. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 624/2018 - City and County of Limerick Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
25. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 625/2018 - County of Longford Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
26. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 626/2018 - County of Louth Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
27. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 627/2018 - County of Mayo Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
28. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 628/2018 - County of Meath Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
29. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 629/2018 - County of Monaghan Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
30. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 630/2018 - County of Offaly Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
31. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 631/2018 - County of Roscommon Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
32. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 632/2018 - County of Sligo Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
33. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 633/2018 - County of South Dublin Local Electoral Areas Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
34. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 634/2018 - County of Tipperary Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
35. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 635/2018 - City and County of Waterford Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
36. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 636/2018 - County of Westmeath Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
37. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 637/2018 - County of Wexford Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
38. John Paul Phelan, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. "S.I. No. 638/2018 - County of Wicklow Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018". Retrieved 2 February 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)