Cork County Council

Cork County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Chorcaí) is the local authority of County Cork, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001, as amended. The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The council has 55 elected members. Elections are held every five years and are by single transferable vote. The head of the council has the title of Mayor. The county administration is headed by a chief executive, Moira Murrell.^[1] The county seat is Cork.

Cork County Council Comhairle Contae Chorcaí
Type
Type	County council
Leadership
Mayor	Mary Linehan Foley, Ind
Structure
Seats	55
Political groups	Fine Gael (19)   Fianna Fáil (18)   Independent Ireland (4)   Social Democrats (3)   Labour (2)   Sinn Féin (1)   Independent (8)
Elections
Last election	7 June 2024
Meeting place
County Hall, Cork
Website
Official website

The area governed by the council

History

Cork County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Cork.^[2][3][4] Originally meetings of Cork County Council were held in the back portion of the top floor of Cork Courthouse.^[5] By the 1950s these premises were becoming inadequate and County Hall opened in April 1968.^[6]

Boundary change

The area under the administration of Cork County Council was reduced on 31 May 2019, ceding territory to Cork City Council.^[7] This implemented changes under the Local Government Act 2019.^[8]

The 2015 Cork Local Government Review had recommended merging Cork City Council and Cork County Council into a single "super council"; however, a minority report opposed the merger, with a subsequent report published by an expert advisory group in 2017 recommending a city boundary extension.^[9][10][11]

Regional Assembly

Cork County Council has five representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the South-West Strategic Planning Area Committee.^[12]

Elections

Members of Cork 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		Lab		GP		SD		PDs		WP		II		Ind	Total
2024	19		18		1		2		0		3		—		0		4		8		55
2019	20		18		2		2		2		1		—		0		—		10		55
2014	16		17		10		2		0		—		—		0		—		10		55
2009	22		12		1		7		0		—		—		0		—		6		48
2004	24		16		1		5		0		—		0		0		—		2		48
1999	21		19		0		4		0		—		1		0		—		3		48
1991	20		19		0		4		0		—		1		1		—		3		48
1985	19		24		0		2		0		—		—		1		—		2		48

Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts

County Cork is divided into the municipal districts and local electoral areas, defined by electoral divisions.^[13]

Municipal District	LEA	Definition	Seats
Bandon–Kinsale		Abbeymahon, Ballinadee, Ballinspittle, Ballyfeard, Ballymackean, Ballymartle, Ballymodan, Ballymurphy, Bandon, Baurleigh, Boulteen, Brinny, Butlerstown, Cashel, Coolmain, Courtmacsherry, Cullen (in the former Rural District of Kinsale), Inishannon, Kilbrittain, Kilbrogan, Kilmaloda East, Kilmaloda West, Kilmonoge, Kinsale Rural, Kinsale Urban, Kinure, Knockavilly, Knockroe, Laherne, Leighmoney, Murragh, Nohaval, Rathclarin, Templemartin, Templemichael, Templeomalus and Timoleague.	6
Carrigaline		Ballyfoyle, Carrigaline (in the former rural district of Kinsale), Dunderrow, Farranbrien, Kilpatrick, Liscleary, Monkstown Urban, Templebreedy; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Ballygarvan, Carrigaline (in the former rural district of Cork), Douglas, Inishkenny, and Monkstown Rural that are not contained within the City of Cork.	6
Cobh		Ballynaglogh, Carrignavar, Carrigtohill, Cobh Rural, Cobh Urban, Killeagh (in the former Rural District of Cork), Knockraha, Watergrasshill; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Caherlag, Rathcooney (part), Riverstown and Whitechurch that are not contained within the City of Cork.	6
East Cork	Midleton	Ardagh, Ballintemple, Ballycottin, Ballyspillane, Castlemartyr, Clonmult, Clonpriest, Cloyne, Corkbeg, Dangan, Dungourney, Garryvoe, Ightermurragh, Inch, Kilcronat, Killeagh (in the former Rural District of Youghal No.1), Kilmacdonogh, Lisgoold, Midleton Rural, Midleton Urban, Mogeely, Rostellan, Templebodan, Templenacarriga, Youghal Rural (part) and Youghal Urban.	7
Fermoy		Aghern, Ballyarthur, Ballyhooly, Ballynoe, Carrig (in the former Rural District of Fermoy), Castle Hyde, Castlecooke, Castlelyons, Castletownroche, Clenor, Coole, Curraglass, Derryvillane, Doneraile, Farahy, Fermoy Rural, Fermoy Urban, Glanworth East, Glanworth West, Glenville, Gortnaskehy, Gortroe, Kilcor, Kilcummer, Kildinan, Kildorrery, Kilgullane, Killathy, Kilphelan, Kilworth, Knockmourne, Leitrim, Marshalstown, Mitchelstown, Monanimy, Rathcormack, Shanballymore, Skahanagh, Streamhill, Templemolaga and Wallstown.	6
Kanturk–Mallow	Kanturk	Allow, Ardskeagh, Ballyhoolahan, Banteer, Barleyhill, Barnacurra, Bawncross, Boherboy, Castlemagner, Clonfert East, Clonfert West, Clonmeen, Coolclogh, Crinnaloo, Cullen (in the former Rural District of Millstreet), Derragh, Doonasleen, Dromina, Glenlara, Greenane, Kanturk, Keale, Kilbrin, Kilcorney, Kilmeen, Knockatooan, Knocknagree, Knocktemple, Meens, Milford, Milltown, Newmarket, Newtown, Rathcool, Rathluirc, Rosnalee, Rowls, Skagh, Springfort, Tullylease and Williamstown.	4
	Mallow	Ballyclogh, Ballynamona, Blackpool, Buttevant, Caherduggan, Carrig (in the former rural District of Mallow), Castlecor, Churchtown, Dromore, Gortmore, Imphrick, Kilmaclenine, Kilshannig, Knockantota, Liscarroll, Mallow North Urban, Mallow Rural, Mallow South Urban, Nad, Rahan, Roskeen, Templemary and Tincoora.	5
Macroom		Aghinagh, Aglish, An Sliabh Riabhach, Ballygroman, Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Maigh Chromta) (in the former Rural District of Macroom), Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Dún Mánmhaí) (in the former Rural District of Dunmanway), Bealock, Caherbarnagh, Cannaway, Carrigboy, Ceann Droma, Cill na Martra, Claonráth, Clondrohid, Clonmoyle, Coomlogane, Doire Fhínín, Dripsey, Drishane, Firmount, Gort na Tiobratan, Gowlane, Greenfort, Greenville, Inchigeelagh, Kilberrihert, Kilbonane, Kilcullen, Macloneigh, Macroom Urban, Magourney, Mashanaglass, Mountrivers, Moviddy, Na hUláin, Rahalisk, Teerelton, Warrenscourt; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Ballincollig, Blarney, Carrigrohanebeg, Matehy and Ovens that are not contained within the City of Cork.	6
West Cork	Bantry–West Cork	Adrigole, Aghadown North, Aghadown South, Ahil, Ballybane, Ballydehob, Bantry Rural, Bantry Urban, Bear, Bredagh, Caheragh, Cloghdonnell, Coolagh, Coulagh, Crookhaven, Curryglass, Douce, Dromdaleague North, Dromdaleague South, Dunbeacon, Dunmanus, Durrus East, Durrus West, Garranes, Garrown, Glanlough, Glengarriff, Goleen, Gortnascreeny, Kealkill, Kilcaskan, Kilcatherine, Kilcoe, Killaconenagh, Killeenleagh, Kilnamanagh, Lowertown, Mealagh, Milane, Scart, Seefin, Sheepshead, Skull, Toormore and Whiddy.	4
	Skibbereen–West Cork	Ardfield, Argideen, Aultagh, Ballingurteen, Ballymoney, Bengour, Cahermore, Carrigbaun, Castlehaven North, Castlehaven South, Castletown, Castleventry, Cléire, Clonakilty Rural, Clonakilty Urban, Cloonkeen, Coolcraheen, Coolmountain, Derry, Drinagh (in the former Rural District of Dunmanway), Drinagh (in the former Rural District of Skibbereen), Dunmanway North, Dunmanway South, Kilfaughnabeg, Kilkerranmore, Kilmoylerane, Kilnagross, Kinneigh, Knocks, Knockskagh, Manch, Myross, Rathbarry, Rosscarbery, Rossmore, Shreelane, Skibbereen Rural, Skibbereen Urban, Teadies, Tullagh and Woodfort	5

Councillors

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

2024 seats summary

Party		Seats
	Fianna Fáil	19
	Fine Gael	18
	Independent Ireland	4
	Social Democrats	3
	Labour	2
	Sinn Féin	1
	Independent	8

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.^[14]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area	Name	Party
Bandon–Kinsale	Alan Coleman		Independent
	John Collins		Independent Ireland
	John Michael Foley		Fine Gael
	Ann Bambury		Social Democrats
	Gillian Coughlan		Fianna Fáil
	Marie O'Sullivan		Fine Gael
Bantry–West Cork	Danny Collins		Independent Ireland
	Finbarr Harrington		Independent
	Caroline Cronin		Fine Gael
	Patrick Gerard Murphy		Fianna Fáil
Carrigaline	Séamus McGrath[a]		Fianna Fáil
	Ben Dalton O'Sullivan		Independent
	Jack White		Fine Gael
	Audrey Buckley		Fianna Fáil
	Úna McCarthy		Fine Gael
	Eoghan Fahy		Sinn Féin
Cobh	Sheila O'Callaghan		Fianna Fáil
	Anthony Barry		Fine Gael
	Sinéad Sheppard		Fine Gael
	Cathal Rasmussen		Labour
	Ger Curley		Independent Ireland
	Dominic Finn		Fianna Fáil
Fermoy	William O'Leary		Independent
	Noel McCarthy[a]		Fine Gael
	Frank O'Flynn		Fianna Fáil
	Deirdre O'Brien		Fianna Fáil
	Nelius Cotter		Fianna Fáil
	Peter O'Donoghue		Independent
Kanturk	Bernard Moynihan		Fianna Fáil
	John Paul O'Shea[a]		Fine Gael
	Trish Murphy		Fine Gael
	Ian Doyle		Fianna Fáil
Macroom	Gobnait Moynihan		Fianna Fáil
	Michael Creed		Fine Gael
	Michael Looney		Fianna Fáil
	Eileen Lynch[a]		Fine Gael
	Ted Lucey		Fine Gael
	Martin Coughlan		Independent
Mallow	Tony O'Shea		Fine Gael
	Liam Madden		Fine Gael
	Eoghan Kenny[a]		Labour
	Gearóid Murphy		Fianna Fáil
	Pat Hayes		Fianna Fáil
Midleton	Mary Linehan Foley		Independent
	Michael Hegarty		Fine Gael
	Liam Quaide[a]		Social Democrats
	Patrick Mulcahy		Fianna Fáil
	Rory Cocking		Fine Gael
	Ann Marie Ahern		Fianna Fáil
	John Buckley		Independent
Skibbereen–West Cork	Noel O'Donovan[a]		Fine Gael
	Joe Carroll		Fianna Fáil
	Deirdre Kelly		Fianna Fáil
	Daniel Sexton		Independent Ireland
	Isobel Towse		Social Democrats

Notes

1. Replaced during term, see table below for details.

Co-options

Party		Outgoing	LEA	Reason	Date	Co-optee
	Labour	Eoghan Kenny	Mallow	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	20 December 2024	Ronan Sheehan[15]
	Fianna Fáil	Séamus McGrath	Carrigaline	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	20 December 2024	Patrick Donovan[16]
	Fine Gael	Noel McCarthy	Fermoy	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	20 December 2024	Kay Dawson[16]
	Fine Gael	John Paul O'Shea	Kanturk	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	20 December 2024	Aileen Browne[16]
	Social Democrats	Liam Quaide	Midleton	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	20 December 2024	Eamonn Horgan[17]
	Fine Gael	Eileen Lynch	Macroom	Elected to the 27th Seanad at the 2025 Seanad election	21 April 2025	Kate Lynch[18]
	Fine Gael	Noel O'Donovan	Skibbereen–West Cork	Nominated to the 27th Seanad	21 April 2025	Brendan McCarthy[18]