Longford County Council

Longford County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae an Longfoirt) is the local authority of County Longford, 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 18 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, Paddy Mahon. The county town is Longford.

Longford County Council Comhairle Chontae an Longfoirt
Type
Type	County council of County Longford
History
Founded	1 April 1899
Leadership
Cathaoirleach	Garry Murtagh, FG
Structure
Seats	18
Political groups	Fianna Fáil (8)   Fine Gael (8)   Independent (2)
Elections
Last election	7 June 2024
Motto
Daingean agus Dílis (Irish) "Strong and Loyal"
Meeting place
Áras an Chontae, Longford
Website
Official website

The area governed by the council

History

Longford County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Longford, succeeding the former judicial county of Longford.^[1][2][3][4]

Originally meetings of Longford County Council were held at Longford Courthouse in the Main Street^[5] and the county secretary's office was subsequently established in Dublin Road.^[6] The county council meetings and county administration moved to modern facilities at the new County Hall in Great Water Street in 1992.^[7]

Regional Assembly

Longford County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.^[8]

Elections

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 introduced the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) for the 1920 Irish local elections.^[9][10] This electoral system has been retained, with the 18 members of Longford County Council elected for a five-year term of office from multi-member local electoral areas (LEAs).

Year		FG		FF		PDs		RSF		Ind	Total
2024	8		8		—		0		2		18
2019	9		6		—		0		3		18
2014	8		7		—		0		3		18
2009	10		8		—		0		3		21
2004	11		8		0		0		2		21
1999	10		8		1		1		1		21
1991	8		9		0		1		3		21
1985	9		10		—		—		2		21

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

The LEAs and the municipal districts are defined by electoral divisions.^[11]

LEA and Municipal district	Electoral divisions	Seats
Ballymahon	Agharra, Ardagh East, Ardagh West, Ballymahon, Ballymuigh, Cashel East, Cashel West, Doory, Forgney, Foxhall, Kilcommock, Kilglass, Killashee, Ledwithstown, Meathas Truim (Edgeworthstown), Mountdavis, Moydow and Rathcline	6
Granard	Abbeylara, Aghaboy, Ballinalee, Ballinamuck East, Ballinamuck West, Bunlahy, Columbkille, Coolamber, Creevy, Crosagstown, Currygrane, Dalystown, Drumgort, Drumlish, Drummeel, Firry, Gelshagh, Granard Rural, Granard Urban, Killoe, Knockanbaun, Lislea, Milltown, Moatfarrell, Moyne, Mullanalaghta, Newgrove and Sonnagh	5
Longford	Breanrisk, Caldragh, Cloondara, Cloonee, Corboy, Longford No. 1 Urban, Longford No. 2 Urban, Longford Rural and Newtown Forbes	7

Councillors

2024 seats summary

Party		Seats
	Fianna Fáil	8
	Fine Gael	8
	Independent	2

Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024 at the 2024 Longford County Council election.^[12]

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area	Name	Party
Ballymahon	Paul Ross		Fine Gael
	Mick Cahill		Fianna Fáil
	Pat O'Toole		Fianna Fáil
	Mark Casey		Independent
	Sean Mimnagh		Fianna Fáil
	Martin Skelly		Fine Gael
Granard	Garry Murtagh		Fine Gael
	Turlough McGovern		Independent
	Paraic Brady		Fine Gael
	Pádraig McNamara		Fine Gael
	David Cassidy		Fianna Fáil
Longford	Gerry Hagan		Fine Gael
	Martin Monaghan		Fianna Fáil
	Séamus Butler		Fianna Fáil
	Peggy Nolan		Fine Gael
	Niall Gannon		Fine Gael
	Kevin Hussey		Fianna Fáil
	Uruemu Adejinmi		Fianna Fáil