Donegal County Council

Donegal County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall) is the authority responsible for local government in County Donegal, 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. It has 37 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, John McLaughlin. The county town is Lifford.

Donegal County Council Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall
Type
Type	County council
Leadership
Cathaoirleach	Paul Canning, FF
Structure
Seats	37
Political groups	Fianna Fáil (10)   Sinn Féin (10)   100% Redress (4)   Fine Gael (3)   Labour (1)   Independent (9)
Elections
Last election	7 June 2024
Motto
Mutuam habeatis caritatem (Latin) "Maintain among you mutual love and charity"
Meeting place
County House, Lifford
Website
Official website

The area governed by the council

History

Donegal County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Donegal, succeeding the former judicial county of Donegal.^[1][2][3]

Donegal County Council, which had previously held its meetings in Lifford Courthouse,^[4] acquired County House in Lifford for use as its meeting place and administrative headquarters in 1930.^[5]

The d'Hondt method has been deployed by Donegal County Council since 2009 and has worked on all but budget day. This led Martin Harley (running mate of Joe McHugh at the 2020 general election) to suggest it be used to help form a government.^[6]

Following the 2015 RTÉ programme Standards in Public Office, Milford councillor John O'Donnell was found by the Standards in Public Office Commission in March 2019 to have contravened the Local Government Act in three different instances, including failure to maintain proper standards of integrity, conduct and concern for the public interest.^[7]

Regional Assembly

Donegal County Council has three representatives on the Northern and Western Regional Assembly where they are part of the Border Strategic Planning Area Committee.^[8]

Elections

Members of Donegal 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		FF		SF		100%R		FG		Lab		IFF		WP		DPP		Ind	Total
2024	10		10		4		3		1		—		0		—		9		37
2019	12		10		—		6		1		—		0		—		8		37
2014	11		9		—		6		1		—		0		—		10		37
2009	10		4		—		8		2		—		0		—		5		29
2004	14		4		—		8		0		2		0		0		1		29
1999	14		0		—		8		1		4		0		0		2		29
1991	11		1		—		9		1		4		1		1		1		29
1985	11		2		—		9		0		5		1		1		0		29

Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts

County Donegal is divided into local electoral areas and municipal districts, defined by electoral divisions.^[9]

Municipal District	LEA	Definition	Seats
Donegal		An Bhinn Bhán, An Leargaidh Mhór, Ballintra (in the former Rural District of Ballyshannon), Ballintra (in the former Rural District of Donegal), Ballyshannon Rural, Ballyshannon Urban, Bonnyglen, Bundoran Rural, Bundoran Urban, Carrickboy, Cavangarden, Cill Charthaigh, Cill Ghabhlaigh, Cliff, Clogher, Corkermore, Cró Chaorach, Crownarad, Donegal, Dunkineely, Eanymore, Gleann Cholm Cille, Grousehall, Haugh, Inver, Killybegs, Laghy, Loch Iascaigh, Málainn Bhig, Pettigoe, Tantallon, Tawnawully, Templecarn, Tieveskeelta and Tullynaught.	6
Glenties		An Clochán Liath, An Craoslach, An Dúchoraidh, An Ghrafaidh, An Machaire, Anagaire, Árainn Mhór, Ard an Rátha, Ards, Baile na Finne, Caisleán na dTuath, Críoch na Sméar, Cró Bheithe, Dawros, Dún Fionnachaidh, Dún Lúiche, Gleann Gheis, Gleann Léithín, Gort an Choirce, Inis Caoil, Inis Mhic an Doirn, Leitir Mhic an Bhaird, Maas, Machaire Chlochair, Maol Mosóg, Mín an Chladaigh, Na Croisbhealaí and Na Gleannta.	6
Inishowen	Buncrana	Birdstown, Buncrana Rural, Buncrana Urban, Burt, Castleforward, Desertegny, Fahan, Illies, Inch Island, Kilderry, Killea, Mintiaghs, Newtown Cunningham, Three Trees and Whitecastle.	5
	Carndonagh	Ardmalin, Ballyliffin, Carndonagh, Carthage, Castlecary, Culdaff, Dunaff, Gleneely (in the former Rural District of Inishowen), Gleneganon, Glentogher, Greencastle, Malin, Moville, Redcastle, Straid, and Turmone	4
Letterkenny–Milford	Letterkenny	Ballymacool, Castlewray, Corravaddy, Edenacarnan, Gortnavern, Killymasny, Kincraigy, Letterkenny Rural, Letterkenny Urban, Magheraboy, Manorcunningham, Mín an Lábáin, Suí Corr and Templedouglas.	7
	Milford	An Cheathrú Chaol, An Tearmann, Ballyarr, Carraig Airt, Cnoc Colbha, Creamhghort, Fánaid Thiar, Fánaid Thuaidh, Gartán, Glen, Glenalla, Grianfort, Killygarvan, Kilmacrenan, Loch Caol, Millford, Rathmelton, Rathmullan, Ros Goill and Rosnakill.	3
Lifford–Stranorlar		Allt na Péiste, An Clochán, Castlefinn, Cloghard, Clonleigh North, Clonleigh South, Convoy, Dooish, Feddyglass, Figart, Gleneely (in the former Rural District of Stranorlar), Goland, Killygordon, Knock, Lettermore, Mín Charraigeach, Raphoe, St. Johnstown, Stranorlar, Treantaghmucklagh and Urney West.	6

Current councillors

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

Party		Seats
	Fianna Fáil	10
	Sinn Féin	10
	100% Redress	4
	Fine Gael	3
	Labour	1
	Independent	9

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.^[10]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area	Name	Party
Buncrana	Jack Murray		Sinn Féin
	Joy Beard		100% Redress
	Paul Canning		Fianna Fáil
	Terry Crossan		Sinn Féin
	Fionán Bradley		Fianna Fáil
Carndonagh	Ali Farren		100% Redress
	Martin McDermott		Fianna Fáil
	Albert Doherty		Sinn Féin
	Martin Farren		Labour
Donegal	Micheál Naughton		Fianna Fáil
	Noel Jordan		Sinn Féin
	Michael McMahon		Sinn Féin
	Jimmy Brogan		Independent
	Manus Boyle[a]		Fine Gael
	Niamh Kennedy		Independent
Glenties	Micheál Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig		Independent
	Michael McClafferty		Independent
	Anthony Molloy		Fianna Fáil
	Brian Carr		Sinn Féin
	John Shéamais Ó Fearraigh		Sinn Féin
	Denis McGee		100% Redress
Letterkenny	Donal 'Mandy' Kelly		Fianna Fáil
	Tomás Seán Devine		100% Redress
	Gerry McMonagle		Sinn Féin
	Ciaran Brogan		Fianna Fáil
	Jimmy Kavanagh		Fine Gael
	Michael McBride		Independent
	Dónal Coyle		Fianna Fáil
Lifford–Stranorlar	Martin Scanlon		Independent
	Gary Doherty		Sinn Féin
	Martin Harley		Fine Gael
	Frank McBrearty Jnr		Independent
	Patrick McGowan		Fianna Fáil
	Dakota Nic Mheanman		Sinn Féin
Milford	Declan Meehan		Independent
	Liam Blaney		Fianna Fáil
	Pauric McGarvey		Independent

Notes

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

Co-options

Party		Outgoing	LEA	Reason	Date	Co-optee
	Fine Gael	Manus Boyle	Donegal	Nominated the to 27th Seanad	28 March 2025	Michael Boyle[11]