Westmeath County Council

Westmeath County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae na hIarmhí) is the local authority of County Westmeath, 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 20 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, Pat Gallagher. The county town is Mullingar.

Westmeath County Council Comhairle Chontae na hIarmhí
Type
Type	County council of County Westmeath
Leadership
Cathaoirleach	Aoife Davitt, FF
Structure
Seats	20
Political groups	Fianna Fáil (9)   Fine Gael (4)   Labour (2)   Sinn Féin (2)   Independent Ireland (1)   Independent (2)
Elections
Last election	7 June 2024
Motto
Irish: Triath ós Triathaibh "Noble above nobility"
Meeting place
County Buildings, Mullingar
Website
Official website

The area governed by the council

History

Originally Westmeath County Council held its meetings in Mullingar Courthouse.^[1] The council commissioned a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall, in Mount Street in Mullingar in the early 20th century.^[2] In the early part of the 21st century it occupied a historic building on the same site associated with the old county gaol.^[3] It then moved to more modern facilities at the new County Buildings, to the south of the previous facility, in 2009.^[4]

Regional Assembly

Westmeath County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Midland Strategic Planning Area Committee.^[5]

Elections

Members of Westmeath 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		FG		Lab		GP		SF		II		Ind	Total
2024	9		4		2		0		2		1		2		20
2019	9		5		2		2		0		—		2		20
2014	8		5		2		0		3		—		2		20
2009	9		8		6		0		0		—		0		23
2004	9		8		6		0		0		—		0		23
1999	12		6		5		0		0		—		0		23
1991	12		6		4		0		0		—		1		23
1985	13		5		3		0		0		—		2		23

Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Westmeath is divided into LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, for the purposes of local elections, and into municipal districts for the purposes of local exercising of the powers of the local authority.^[6]

Municipal District	LEA	Definition	Seats
Athlone	Athlone	Athlone East Rural, Athlone East Urban, Athlone West Urban, Auburn, Carn, Castledaly, Doonis, Glassan, Killinure, Moydrum, Muckanagh and Tubbrit.	5
	Moate	Ardnaglew, Ardnagragh, Ballinalack, Ballybroder, Ballykilmore, Ballymore, Ballymorin, Ballynagore, Bellanalack, Carrick, Castletown, Churchtown, Clonfad, Drumraney, Dysart, Emper, Glenlough, Greenpark, Jamestown, Kilbeggan, Kilbixy, Kilcumreragh, Killare, Lauree, Middleton, Moate, Mount Temple, Newtown, Noughaval, Piercetown, Portloman, Rahugh, Rathconrath, Rathowen, Skeagh, Sonna, Streamstown, Templepatrick, Umma and Winetown.	4
Mullingar	Mullingar	Belvidere, Castle, Cloghan, Heathstown, Hopestown, Knockdrin, Mullingar North Urban, Mullingar Rural, Mullingar South Urban, Owel, Russellstown and Tullaghan.	6
	Kinnegad	Ballinlough, Ballyhealy, Ballynaskeagh, Boherquill, Bracklin, Castlelost, Clonarney, Clonlost, Collinstown, Coole, Coolure, Copperalley, Delvin, Derrymore, Enniscoffey, Faughalstown, Finnea, Fore East, Fore West, Gaybrook, Glore, Griffinstown, Hilltown, Huntingdon, Kilcumny, Killua, Killucan, Killulagh, Kilpatrick, Kinnegad, Kinturk, Knockarrow, Lackan, Milltown, Multyfarnham, Raharney, Riverdale, Rosmead, Stonehall, Street, Taghmon and Woodland.	5

Councillors

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

2024 seats summary

Party		Seats
	Fianna Fáil	9
	Fine Gael	4
	Labour	2
	Sinn Féin	2
	Independent Ireland	1
	Independent	2

Councillors by electoral area

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

Council members from 2024 election
Local electoral area	Name	Party
Athlone	Kevin "Boxer" Moran[a]		Independent
	Frankie Keena		Fianna Fáil
	Aengus O'Rourke		Fianna Fáil
	John Dolan		Fine Gael
	Paul Hogan		Independent Ireland
Kinnegad	Denis Leonard		Labour
	Alfie Devine		Fianna Fáil
	David Jones		Sinn Féin
	Niall Gaffney		Fianna Fáil
	Emily Wallace		Fine Gael
Moate	Tom Farrell		Fine Gael
	Vinny McCormack		Fianna Fáil
	Liam McDaniel		Fianna Fáil
	Johnnie Penrose		Labour
Mullingar	Mick Dollard		Independent
	Ken Glynn		Fianna Fáil
	Aoife Davitt		Fianna Fáil
	Andrew Duncan		Fine Gael
	Bill Collentine		Fianna Fáil
	Julie McCourt		Sinn Féin

Notes

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

Co-options

Party		Outgoing	LEA	Reason	Date	Co-optee
	Independent	Kevin "Boxer" Moran	Athlone	Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election	17 December 2024	John Gibbons[8]