# 2019 Meath County Council election

An election to all 40 seats on Meath County Council was held on 24 May 2019 as part of the 2019 Irish local elections. County Meath was divided into 6 local electoral areas (LEAs) to elect councillors for a five-year term of office on the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV).

## Boundary review

Following the recommendations of the 2018 LEA boundary review committee, the LEAs used at the 2014 Meath County Council election were adjusted to reflect population changes revealed by the 2016 census. The boundary committee recommended that Navan be designated a borough district. This was implemented in the initial statutory instrument, but was reversed as being contrary to Local Government Act 2001.

## Overview

Fine Gael lost 1 seat but remained the largest party with 12 seats but with an increased vote share. Fianna Fáil gained 2 seats to return with 12 seats also but their vote share reduced compared to 2014. Sinn Féin lost 5 seats and was reduced to having representation solely in Ashbourne, Kells and Navan. One of the Sinn Féin losses in Navan was to Emer Tóibín of Aontú, a sister of Peadar Tóibín TD. Through Annie Hoey, Labour regained a seat on the council in Laytown–Bettystown, and in Trim Ronan Moore won a seat for the Social Democrats. The number of Independent councillors increased from 9 to 10.
Sharon Keogan was elected in both the Ashbourne LEA and the Laytown–Bettystown LEA, becoming the first woman in Ireland elected to two electoral areas. She initially objected to being required to choose one of two seats, but later chose Laytown–Bettystown.

## Results by party

| Party | Party | Seats | ± | 1st pref | FPv% | ±% |
| | Fine Gael | 12 | 1 | 20,549 | 29.58 | 6.76 |
| | Fianna Fáil | 12 | 2 | 17,560 | 25.28 | 2.40 |
| | Sinn Féin | 3 | 5 | 6,845 | 9.85 | 8.32 |
| | Aontú | 1 | 1 | 3,361 | 4.84 | New |
| | Labour | 1 | 1 | 1,710 | 2.46 | 2.68 |
| | Social Democrats | 1 | 1 | 1,533 | 2.21 | New |
| | Green | 0 | | 614 | 0.88 | 0.63 |
| | Workers' Party | 0 | | 330 | 0.48 | 0.11 |
| | Direct Democracy | 0 | | 241 | 0.35 | 0.05 |
| | People Before Profit | 0 | | 164 | 0.24 | 0.29 |
| | Independent | 10 | 1 | 16,552 | 23.83 | 0.77 |
| Total | Total | 40 | | 69,459 | 100.00 | |

## Results by local electoral area

^ *: Outgoing councillor elected in 2014. ^ †: Outgoing councillor coopted subsequent to the 2014 election.

### Ashbourne

Ashbourne: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Independent | Joe Bonner | 21.66% | 2,170 | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Alan Tobin | 15.62% | 1,565 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Sharon Keogan | 11.78% | 1,180 | 1,269 | 1,277 | 1,292 | 1,306 | 1,395 | 1,415 | 1,543 | |
| | Fine Gael | Suzanne Jamal | 11.73% | 1,175 | 1,239 | 1,258 | 1,328 | 1,336 | 1,479 | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Conor Tormey | 8.15% | 817 | 1,019 | 1,060 | 1,132 | 1,151 | 1,167 | 1,176 | 1,256 | 1,357 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Lisa Mellor | 7.20% | 721 | 738 | 740 | 790 | 795 | 889 | 896 | 955 | 1,005 |
| | Aontú | Joseph Tuite | 5.22% | 523 | 562 | 566 | 583 | 590 | 613 | 617 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Darren O'Rourke | 5.00% | 501 | 573 | 581 | 592 | 836 | 847 | 848 | 950 | 1,148 |
| | Social Democrats | Paul Nolan | 4.00% | 401 | 546 | 569 | 574 | 611 | 621 | 627 | 668 | |
| | Fine Gael | John Stillman | 3.88% | 389 | 414 | 430 | 435 | 439 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Aisling O'Neill | 3.10% | 311 | 378 | 387 | 389 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sarah-Jane Reilly | 2.65% | 266 | 284 | 287 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 21,081 Valid: 10,019 Spoilt: 196 Quota: 1,432 Turnout: 10,215 |||||||||||||

### Kells

Kells: 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Seán Drew | 14.06% | 1,996 | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sarah Reilly | 13.85% | 1,966 | | | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Johnny Guirke | 11.82% | 1,678 | 1,685 | 1,693 | 1,724 | 1,748 | 1,796 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Eugene Cassidy | 9.95% | 1,413 | 1,421 | 1,463 | 1,470 | 1,514 | 1,547 | 1,569 | 1,792 |
| | Independent | David Gilroy | 7.87% | 1,118 | 1,122 | 1,133 | 1,171 | 1,234 | 1,340 | 1,357 | 1,493 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Paul McCabe | 7.46% | 1,059 | 1,109 | 1,125 | 1,141 | 1,195 | 1,251 | 1,353 | 1,546 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Mike Bray | 7.18% | 1,020 | 1,070 | 1,088 | 1,096 | 1,132 | 1,178 | 1,384 | 1,458 |
| | Sinn Féin | Michael Gallagher | 7.02% | 997 | 1,013 | 1,019 | 1,071 | 1,120 | 1,216 | 1,235 | |
| | Fine Gael | Peter Farrelly | 6.83% | 970 | 1,000 | 1,061 | 1,083 | 1,136 | 1,177 | 1,347 | 1,410 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Oliver Fox | 4.92% | 698 | 711 | 716 | 716 | 727 | 761 | | |
| | Aontú | Peter Devin | 4.03% | 572 | 580 | 586 | 609 | 648 | | | |
| | Labour | Aaron Byrne | 2.68% | 380 | 402 | 414 | 490 | | | | |
| | Workers' Party | Séamus McDonagh | 2.32% | 330 | 343 | 349 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 26,262 Valid: 14,197 Spoilt: 250 Quota: 1,775 Turnout: 14,447 ||||||||||||

### Laytown–Bettystown

Laytown–Bettystown: 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| | Independent | Sharon Keogan | 17.80% | 2,039 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Sharon Tolan | 15.49% | 1,774 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Paddy Meade | 12.71% | 1,455 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Wayne Harding | 10.44% | 1,196 | 1,228 | 1,236 | 1,240 | 1,251 | 1,257 | 1,265 | 1,270 | 1,287 | 1,301 | 1,451 |
| | Labour | Annie Hoey | 9.54% | 1,093 | 1,172 | 1,268 | 1,279 | 1,282 | 1,294 | 1,324 | 1,397 | 1,435 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Stephen McKee | 8.93% | 1,023 | 1,264 | 1,296 | 1,299 | 1,300 | 1,311 | 1,314 | 1,319 | 1,358 | 1,413 | 1,471 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Tom Behan | 7.52% | 861 | 892 | 970 | 971 | 972 | 975 | 983 | 1,013 | 1,025 | 1,123 | 1,164 |
| | Sinn Féin | Eimear Ferguson | 5.03% | 576 | 633 | 667 | 668 | 669 | 776 | 816 | 846 | 915 | 971 | 1,038 |
| | Aontú | Peter Whelan | 3.29% | 377 | 403 | 409 | 416 | 420 | 430 | 440 | 446 | 474 | 529 | |
| | Independent | Tom Kelly | 2.40% | 275 | 322 | 365 | 376 | 377 | 382 | 395 | 407 | 440 | | |
| | Direct Democracy | Anthony Connor | 2.10% | 241 | 270 | 274 | 280 | 280 | 293 | 315 | 347 | | | |
| | Social Democrats | Rob Corr | 1.44% | 165 | 177 | 198 | 200 | 200 | 202 | 232 | | | | |
| | People Before Profit | William Lacey | 1.43% | 164 | 178 | 192 | 196 | 196 | 199 | | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Fergal O'Byrne | 1.41% | 162 | 187 | 190 | 192 | 193 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Patrick Smith | 0.45% | 51 | 65 | 68 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 25,236 Valid: 11,452 Spoilt: 201 Quota: 1,432 Turnout: 11,653 |||||||||||||||

### Navan

Navan: 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Tommy Reilly | 12.79% | 1,330 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Aontú | Emer Tóibín | 12.37% | 1,286 | 1,289 | 1,306 | | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Francis Deane | 11.11% | 1,155 | 1,161 | 1,173 | 1,187 | 1,250 | 1,273 | 1,303 | | | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Eddie Fennessy | 9.51% | 989 | 990 | 999 | 1,002 | 1,019 | 1,029 | 1,044 | 1,095 | 1,433 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Padraig Fitzsimons | 9.42% | 979 | 987 | 989 | 1,032 | 1,058 | 1,122 | 1,139 | 1,185 | 1,220 | 1,238 | 1,316 |
| | Independent | Alan Lawes | 8.76% | 911 | 912 | 924 | 925 | 932 | 974 | 978 | 1,034 | 1,087 | 1,141 | 1,214 |
| | Fine Gael | Yemi Adenuga | 6.16% | 640 | 641 | 649 | 665 | 684 | 707 | 781 | 806 | 867 | 881 | 1,225 |
| | Green | Séamus McMenamin | 5.91% | 614 | 615 | 670 | 686 | 696 | 707 | 723 | 761 | 803 | 839 | 942 |
| | Sinn Féin | Sinéad Burke | 5.41% | 562 | 563 | 571 | 575 | 594 | 602 | 609 | 651 | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Ross Kelly | 5.30% | 551 | 552 | 560 | 573 | 590 | 628 | 714 | 756 | 794 | 805 | |
| | Independent | Wayne Forde | 3.06% | 318 | 319 | 324 | 330 | 353 | 361 | 370 | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Karen Byrne | 2.58% | 268 | 268 | 270 | 276 | 285 | 291 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Stephen Ball | 2.23% | 232 | 233 | 239 | 245 | | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Jenny McHugh | 2.18% | 227 | 229 | 230 | 266 | 269 | | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Madeleine Thornton | 1.70% | 177 | 180 | 182 | | | | | | | | |
| | Social Democrats | Amy McGrath | 1.52% | 158 | 158 | | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 23,167 Valid: 10,397 Spoilt: 195 Quota: 1,300 Turnout: 10,592 |||||||||||||||

### Ratoath

Ratoath: 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Damien O'Reilly | 17.52% | 2,198 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Gillian Toole | 15.72% | 1,972 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Brian Fitzgerald | 14.43% | 1,810 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Nick Killian | 12.35% | 1,549 | 1,598 | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Gerry O'Connor | 9.76% | 1,224 | 1,259 | 1,339 | 1,384 | 1,408 | 1,470 | 1,542 |
| | Fine Gael | Maria Murphy | 9.28% | 1,164 | 1,366 | 1,386 | 1,430 | 1,469 | 1,635 | |
| | Independent | Seán Henry | 5.48% | 688 | 805 | 832 | 878 | 947 | 970 | 1,118 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Deirdre Geraghty-Smith | 4.62% | 579 | 744 | 831 | 873 | 940 | 1,071 | 1,304 |
| | Independent | Fergus O'Riordan | 3.83% | 481 | 496 | 594 | 609 | 710 | 790 | |
| | Fine Gael | Bee Flanagan | 3.52% | 442 | 456 | 517 | 548 | 567 | | |
| | Sinn Féin | Maria Uí Ruairc | 3.48% | 437 | 469 | 499 | 517 | 567 | | |
| Electorate: 25,803 Valid: 12,544 Spoilt: 221 Quota: 1,569 Turnout: 12,765 |||||||||||

### Trim

Trim: 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Fine Gael | Noel French | 27.23% | 2,954 | | | | | |
| | Fine Gael | Joe Fox | 14.47% | 1,570 | | | | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Aisling Dempsey | 10.25% | 1,112 | 1,385 | 1,447 | 1,567 | | |
| | Fine Gael | Niamh Souhan | 9.48% | 1,029 | 1,271 | 1,321 | 1,397 | 1,436 | 1,508 |
| | Fianna Fáil | Vera Kelly | 8.02% | 870 | 931 | 948 | 1,085 | 1,148 | 1,193 |
| | Social Democrats | Ronan Moore | 7.46% | 809 | 996 | 1,050 | 1,064 | 1,143 | 1,402 |
| | Sinn Féin | Caroline Lynch | 5.82% | 632 | 776 | 799 | 817 | 923 | |
| | Independent | Trevor Golden | 5.56% | 603 | 845 | 886 | 923 | 1,138 | 1,332 |
| | Aontú | Des Doran | 5.56% | 603 | 703 | 719 | 725 | | |
| | Fianna Fáil | Sinéad Geraghty | 3.97% | 431 | 470 | 494 | | | |
| | Labour | Tracy McElhinney | 2.18% | 237 | 352 | | | | |
| Electorate: 25,574 Valid: 10,850 Spoilt: 222 Quota: 1,551 Turnout: 11,072 ||||||||||

### Footnotes

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 See change below.

## Results by gender

2019 Meath County Council election Candidates by gender :
| Gender | Number of candidates | % of candidates | Elected councillors | % of councillors |
| Men | 50 | 64.1% | 27 | 67.5% |
| Women | 28 | 35.9% | 13 | 32.5% |
| TOTAL | 78 | | 40 | |

## Changes after 2019
### Co-options

| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| Independent | Sharon Keogan | Ashbourne | Elected for two areas; chose to sit for Laytown–Bettystown | June 2019 | Amanda Smith |
| Sinn Féin | Darren O'Rourke | Ashbourne | Elected to the 33rd Dáil for Meath East at the 2020 general election | February 2020 | Aisling Ó Néill |
| Sinn Féin | Johnny Guirke | Kells | Elected to the 33rd Dáil for Meath West at the 2020 general election | February 2020 | Michael Gallagher |
| Independent | Sharon Keogan | Laytown–Bettystown | Elected to the 26th Seanad on the Industrial and Commercial Panel at the 2020 Seanad election | June 2020 | Geraldine Keogan |
| Labour | Annie Hoey | Laytown–Bettystown | Elected to the 26th Seanad on the Agricultural Panel at the 2020 Seanad election | 8 June 2020 | Elaine McGinty |
| Sinn Féin | Aisling Ó Néil | Ashbourne | Work Commitments | June 2023 | Helen Meyer |
| Fianna Fáil | Damien O'Reilly | Ratoath | Death of councillor | September 2023 | Caroline O’Reilly |

### Changes in affiliation

| Name | LEA | Elected as | Elected as | New affiliation | New affiliation | Date |
| Noel French | Trim | | Fine Gael | | Independent | September 2023 |
| Joe Bonner | Ashbourne | | Independent | | Independent Ireland | May 2024 |