# 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.

## History

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

## 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.

## 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 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| 2019 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| 2014 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 20 |
| 2009 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| 2004 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| 1999 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| 1991 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 23 |
| 1985 | 13 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 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.
| 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 |
| Athlone | 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 |
| Mullingar | 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.
Council members from 2024 election :
| Local electoral area | Name | Party |
| Athlone | Kevin "Boxer" Moran | Independent |
| Athlone | Frankie Keena | Fianna Fáil |
| Athlone | Aengus O'Rourke | Fianna Fáil |
| Athlone | John Dolan | Fine Gael |
| Athlone | Paul Hogan | Independent Ireland |
| Kinnegad | Denis Leonard | Labour |
| Kinnegad | Alfie Devine | Fianna Fáil |
| Kinnegad | David Jones | Sinn Féin |
| Kinnegad | Niall Gaffney | Fianna Fáil |
| Kinnegad | Emily Wallace | Fine Gael |
| Moate | Tom Farrell | Fine Gael |
| Moate | Vinny McCormack | Fianna Fáil |
| Moate | Liam McDaniel | Fianna Fáil |
| Moate | Johnnie Penrose | Labour |
| Mullingar | Mick Dollard | Independent |
| Mullingar | Ken Glynn | Fianna Fáil |
| Mullingar | Aoife Davitt | Fianna Fáil |
| Mullingar | Andrew Duncan | Fine Gael |
| Mullingar | Bill Collentine | Fianna Fáil |
| Mullingar | Julie McCourt | Sinn Féin |

#### Notes

* ↑ Replaced during term, see table below for details.

#### Co-options

| Party | 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 |