Laois County Council

Laois County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the local authority of County Laois, 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 19 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 Mulholland. The county town is Portlaoise.

Laois County Council Comhairle Chontae Laoise
Type
Type	County council of County Laois
Leadership
Cathaoirleach	Barry Walsh, FG
Structure
Seats	19
Political groups	Fianna Fáil (6)   Fine Gael (5)   Labour (1)   Independent (7)
Elections
Last election	7 June 2024
Motto
Irish: I bpáirt leis an bpobal "In partnership with the community"
Meeting place
Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise
Website
Official website

The area governed by the council

History

Laois County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Laois, then called Queen's County.^[1][2] It included the judicial county of Queen's County except for the part in the town of Carlow, which became part of the administrative county of County Carlow.^[3]

Meetings were originally held in Portlaoise Courthouse. After the courthouse became inadequate, a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall was built in May 1982.^[4][5][6]

Regional Assembly

Laois County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.^[7]

Elections

Members of Laois 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		PDs		Ind	Total
2024	5		6		2		1		—		5		19
2019	7		6		2		1		—		3		19
2014	6		7		2		1		—		3		19
2009	12		8		1		1		—		3		25
2004	9		11		1		1		1		2		25
1999	10		14		0		1		0		1		25
1991	9		13		0		1		1		1		25
1985	9		14		0		1		—		1		25
1979	12		11		0		2		—		0		25
1974	12		11		0		2		—		0		25

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Laois is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions.^[8]

Municipal District and LEA	Definition	Seats
Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick	Aghmacart, Arderin, Ballybrophy, Ballyfin, Borris-in-Ossory, Brisha, Caher, Capard, Cappalough, Cardtown, Castlecuffe, Castletown, Clash, Clonaslee, Clonin, Clonmore, Coolrain, Cuffsborough, Cullahill, Dangans, Donaghmore, Donore, Dunmore, Durrow, Errill, Garrymore, Graigue, Grantstown, Kilcoke, Kildellig, Killermogh, Kilnaseer, Kyle, Kyle South, Lacka, Marymount, Meelick, Moneenalassa, Moneymore, Mountmellick Rural, Mountmellick Urban, Mountrath, Nealstown, OMoresforest, Rathdowney, Rathsaran, Rearymore, Rosenallis, Tinnahinch and Trumra.	6
Graiguecullen–Portarlington	Ardough, Arless, Ballickmoyler, Ballyadams, Ballybrittas, Ballycarroll, Ballylehane, Ballylynan, Barrowhouse, Curraclone, Doonane, Emo, Farnans, Fossy, Graigue Rural, Jamestown, Killabban, Kilmullen, Kilmurry, Luggacurren, Moyanna, Newtown, Portarlington South, Rathaspick, Rossmore, Sallyford, Shrule, Stradbally, Tankardstown, Timahoe, Timogue, Turra and Vicarstown.	6
Portlaoise	Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Blandsfort, Borris, Clondarrig, Clonkeen, Colt, Cullenagh, Dysartgallen, Kilcolmanbane, Portlaoighise Rural, Portlaoighise Urban, Raheen and Shaen.	7

Current councillors

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

Party		Seats
	Fianna Fáil	6
	Fine Gael	5
	Sinn Féin	2
	Labour	1
	Independent	5

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.^[9]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area	Name	Party
Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick	Conor Bergin		Fine Gael
	James Kelly		Independent
	Paddy Bracken		Fianna Fáil
	John King		Fine Gael
	Ollie Clooney		Independent
	Séamus McDonald		Fianna Fáil
Graiguecullen–Portarlington	Aidan Mullins[a]		Sinn Féin
	Paschal McEvoy		Fianna Fáil
	Ben Brennan		Independent
	Pádraig Fleming		Fianna Fáil
	Aisling Moran		Independent
	Vivienne Phelan		Fine Gael
Portlaoise	William Aird[b]		Fine Gael
	Caroline Dwane-Stanley[a]		Sinn Féin
	Tommy Mulligan		Independent
	John Joe Fennelly		Fianna Fáil
	Catherine Fitzgerald		Fianna Fáil
	Barry Walsh		Fine Gael
	Marie Tuohy		Labour

Notes

1. Changed party, see table below for details.
2. Replaced during term, see table below for details.

Co-options

Party		Outgoing	LEA	Reason	Date	Co-optee
	Fine Gael	William Aird	Portlaoise	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	8 December 2024	Paddy Buggy[10]

Changes in affiliation

Name	LEA	Elected as		New affiliation		Date
Aidan Mullins	Graiguecullen–Portarlington		Sinn Féin		Independent	28 August 2024[11]
Caroline Dwane-Stanley	Portlaoise		Sinn Féin		Independent	27 December 2024[12]