Dublin City Council
| Dublin City Council Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath |
|
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 63 |
| Current party standings | |
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Political groups
|
Sinn Féin (16) Fianna Fáil (9) Fine Gael (8) Labour Party (8) People Before Profit (5) Green Party (3) Anti-Austerity Alliance (1) Social Democrats (1) Workers' Party (1) Independent (11) |
| Elections | |
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Last election
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23 May 2014 |
| Meeting place | |
| File:Dublincityhall.jpg | |
| City Hall, Dublin | |
| Website | |
| www |
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Dublin City Council (Irish: Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Dublin in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the council was known as "Dublin Corporation". The council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture and environment. The council has 63 elected members and is the largest local council in Ireland. Elections are held every five years and are by single transferable vote. The head of the council has the honorific title of Lord Mayor. The city administration is headed by a Chief Executive, Owen Keegan. The council meets at City Hall, Dublin.
Contents
Legal status
As part of the Dublin Region, Dublin City Council is within the geographic remit of the Dublin Regional Authority. Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2001, the Regional Authority was established.[1] It is one of eight such Authorities in the Republic of Ireland. Local government in the region was further regulated by the Local Government Act 1994. This provided for the legal establishment of the following local government administrative areas: Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown and also recognised the extant Dublin Corporation area, vesting its powers in a renamed entity – Dublin City Council. The statutory instrument giving effect to the Act came into force on 1 January 1994.[2] The instrument also provided for the abolition of Dublin County Council – the entity that had previously had responsibility for Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Fingal and South Dublin. The four entities collectively comprise the former entity known as County Dublin. This entity, which had been created after the Norman invasion of Ireland, was abolished under the Acts.
Statutory functions
The functions of the City Council include: Public Housing, Library Services, Refuse Services, Drainage, Driver and Vehicle Licensing, Planning and Roads. The Council budgeted to spend €847,137,522 during 2007 in service of these functions. 50.5% of this went towards the payroll of the Council's staff which was a reduction from 50.7% in 2006. In the case of Traffic Management, the Council receives grants from the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government and also the National Roads Authority to assist it in meeting this responsibility. The 2007 roads budget was just over €105,000,000, to support maintenance of all roads in its functional area.
History
Prior to 1841, the administrative and governmental system of Dublin, known as Dublin Corporation, was bicameral having an assembly of called the "House of Aldermen" and another called the "House of Sheriffs and Commons". Under the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840, they were replaced by a unicameral assembly. The new name Dublin City Council was coined for the unicameral assembly. The Lord Mayor of Dublin presided over the assembly. This office which had existed since 1665. The first City Council was elected in October 1841 when Daniel O'Connell became the first Lord Mayor. Since 1 January 2002, the functions of local government have been transferred to Dublin City Council.[3] In 1994, Dublin County Council and the Corporation of Dún Laoghaire were abolished[4] but this had no impact on the city council. To coincide with its name change, the City Council adopted a new logo and brand identity, based on a simplified version of the ancient "three castles" symbol.
Structures
Executive power is shared between the council and an appointed executive official known as the Chief Executive. The chief executive is responsible for a staff of 6,200. The offices of the chief executive and other administrative staff are based in the Civic Offices on Wood Quay. The Lord Mayor of Dublin acts as chair of the Council is the ceremonial head of the city government.
Representative power is vested in the city assembly which consists of 63 members. Members are elected using Proportional representation using the Single transferable vote, every five years from Dublin City Council local electoral areas. The City Council meets in plenary session on the first Monday of every month in Dublin City Hall. One of the Council's most important roles is that of passing an annual budget. Should any Irish council fail to pass a budget within the allotted time, the Minister for the Environment is empowered to abolish it and grant its powers to a commissioner until the next scheduled council elections.
Councillors
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The council has 63 seats. For the purpose of elections the city is divided into nine local electoral areas (LEA).[5]
| Area | Seats |
|---|---|
| Ballyfermot–Drimnagh | 6 |
| Ballymun | 7 |
| Beaumont–Donaghmede | 9 |
| Cabra–Finglas | 7 |
| Clontarf | 6 |
| Crumlin–Kimmage | 6 |
| North Inner City | 8 |
| Pembroke–South Dock | 8 |
| Rathgar–Rathmines | 6 |
2014 seats summary
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Sinn Féin | 16 | |
| Fianna Fáil | 9 | |
| Fine Gael | 8 | |
| Labour Party | 8 | |
| People Before Profit | 5 | |
| Green Party | 3 | |
| Anti-Austerity Alliance | 1 | |
| United Left | 1 | |
| Independent | 12 | |
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 23 May 2014.[6]
| Council members from 2014 election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Local electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Ballyfermot–Drimnagh | Daithí Doolan | Sinn Féin | |
| Bríd Smith† | People Before Profit | ||
| Greg Kelly | Sinn Féin | ||
| Paul Hand | Independent | ||
| Vincent Jackson | Independent | ||
| Daithí de Róiste | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ballymun | Noeleen Reilly | Sinn Féin | |
| Cathleen Carney Boud | Sinn Féin | ||
| Noel Rock† | Fine Gael | ||
| Andrew Montague | Labour Party | ||
| Paul McAuliffe | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Andrew Keegan | People Before Profit | ||
| Áine Clancy | Labour Party | ||
| Beaumont–Donaghmede | Larry O'Toole | Sinn Féin | |
| Tom Brabazon | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John Lyons | People Before Profit | ||
| Mícheál MacDonncha | Sinn Féin | ||
| Denise Mitchell† | Sinn Féin | ||
| Declan Flanagan | Fine Gael | ||
| Michael O'Brien | Anti-Austerity Alliance | ||
| Paddy Bourke | Independent | ||
| Alison Gilliland | Labour Party | ||
| Cabra–Finglas | Cieran Perry | Independent | |
| Anthony Connaghan | Sinn Féin | ||
| Emma Murphy | Sinn Féin | ||
| Séamas McGrattan | Sinn Féin | ||
| Brendan Carr | Labour Party | ||
| David Costello | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Teresa Keegan | Independent | ||
| Clontarf | Damian O'Farrell | Independent | |
| Seán Haughey† | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Naoise Ó Muirí | Fine Gael | ||
| Jane Horgan-Jones | Labour Party | ||
| Deirdre Heney | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Ciarán O'Moore | Sinn Féin | ||
| Crumlin–Kimmage | Críona Ní Dhálaigh | Sinn Féin | |
| Tina MacVeigh | People Before Profit | ||
| Ray McHugh | Sinn Féin | ||
| Rebecca Moynihan | Labour Party | ||
| Catherine Ardagh | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Pat Dunne‡ | United Left | ||
| North Inner City | Janice Boylan | Sinn Féin | |
| Christy Burke | Independent | ||
| Nial Ring | Independent | ||
| Jonathan Dowdall† | Sinn Féin | ||
| Ciarán Cuffe | Green Party | ||
| Gary Gannon‡ | Independent | ||
| Ray McAdam | Fine Gael | ||
| Éilis Ryan‡ | Independent | ||
| Pembroke–South Dock | Chris Andrews | Sinn Féin | |
| Mannix Flynn | Independent | ||
| Dermot Lacey | Labour Party | ||
| Frank Kennedy | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Claire Byrne | Green Party | ||
| Paddy McCartan | Fine Gael | ||
| Kieran Binchy | Fine Gael | ||
| Sonya Stapleton | People Before Profit | ||
| Rathgar–Rathmines | Kate O'Connell† | Fine Gael | |
| Patrick Costello | Green Party | ||
| Jim O'Callaghan† | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Mary Freehill | Labour Party | ||
| Paddy Smyth | Fine Gael | ||
| Ruairí McGinley | Independent | ||
†Replaced during term, see table below for details.
‡Changed party, see table below for details.
Co-options
| Outgoing | Party | Electoral area | Reason | Date | Co-optee | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Dowdall | Sinn Féin | North Inner City | Resigned from the council | February 2015 | Gaye Fagan | Sinn Féin | ||
| Noel Rock | Fine Gael | Ballymun | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Norma Sammon | Fine Gael | ||
| Kate O'Connell | Fine Gael | Rathgar-Rathmines | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Anne Feeney | Fine Gael | ||
| Jim O'Callaghan | Fianna Fáil | Rathgar-Rathmines | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Claire O'Connor | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Bríd Smith | People Before Profit Alliance | Ballyfermot-Drimnagh | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Hazel De Nortúin | People Before Profit Alliance | ||
| Denise Mitchell | Sinn Féin | Beaumont-Donaghmede | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Edel Moran | Sinn Féin | ||
| Seán Haughey | Fianna Fáil | Clontarf | Elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2016 general election | February 2016 | Seán Paul Mahon | Fianna Fáil | ||
Changes in affiliation
| Name | Electoral area | Elected as | New affiliation | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Éilis Ryan | North Inner City | Independent | Workers' Party | January 2015 | ||
| Gary Gannon | North Inner City | Independent | Social Democrats | September 2015 | ||
| Pat Dunne | Crumlin–Kimmage | United Left | Independent | December 2015 | ||
Dublin City Council must by law at least once in every ten years, following consultation with the returning officer for Dáil elections in respect of each constituency within its area, establish a polling district containing a polling place. This is call the Polling Scheme which lists each constituency with its Local electoral areas, polling districts and polling places.
Council buildings
Executive and administrative offices.
The Lord Mayor's official residence is the Mansion House, which first became the residence of the Lord Mayor in 1715.
Council meetings take place in the headquarters at Dublin City Hall. Formerly Royal Exchange, the City Hall is one of Dublin's finest buildings and located on Dame Street. It was built in 1769–79 to the winning design of Thomas Cooley. In an architectural competition, James Gandon was the runner-up with a scheme that many people favoured. The building was taken over for city government use in the 1850s.
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Much of the council's administrative staff are based in the Civic Offices on Wood Quay. These offices were built in 1979–80 on top of what had been one of the best preserved Viking sites in the world. The Corporation's (as it was then) decision to bulldoze the historic site proved one of the most controversial in modern Irish history, with thousands of people, including medieval historian Fr. F. X. Martin and Senator Mary Robinson (later President of Ireland) marching to try to stop the destruction. The destruction of the site on Wood Quay and the building of a set of offices known as The Bunkers (being a prime example of Brutalist architecture) is generally seen as one of the most disastrous acts against Ireland's heritage since independence, with even Dublin Corporation admitting subsequently that it was ashamed of its action. Originally, there were to be four of these 'bunkers' built but only two were ever completed. Instead the river frontage is a block designed by the firm Scott Tallon Walker. Completed in 1994, it boasts a leafy atrium and fine views from many of its offices.
References
- ↑ (Regional Authorities) Establishment Order 1993.
- ↑ Local Government (Dublin) Act, 1993:
Section 2: "the county", in relation to any time before the establishment day, means the administrative county of Dublin
Section 9(1) On the establishment day— ... (a) the county shall cease to exist. - ↑ According to the "Local Government Act, 2001", section 10(2): "The State continues to stand divided into local government areas to be known as counties and cities which are the areas set out in Parts 1 and 2, respectively, of Schedule 5.".
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External links
- Use Irish English from May 2014
- All Wikipedia articles written in Irish English
- Use dmy dates from May 2014
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles containing Irish-language text
- Official website not in Wikidata
- Local government in County Dublin
- History of Dublin (city)
- City councils in the Republic of Ireland
- 1841 establishments in Ireland
- Politics of Dublin (city)
