# Clare County Council

Clare County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae an Chláir) is the local authority of County Clare, 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 28 elected members who are elected for a five-year term. The head of the council has the title of Cathaoirleach (chairperson). The county administration is headed by a chief executive, Pat Dowling. The county town is Ennis.

## History

Clare County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Clare, succeeding in area of the former judicial county of Clare, with the addition of the district electoral divisions of Drummaan, Inishcaltra North, and Mountshannon, formerly within the judicial county of County Galway.
Originally meetings of Clare County Council were held at Ennis Courthouse. Áras Contae an Chláir, a new county council headquarters, was completed in May 2008.

## Regional Assembly

Clare County Council has two representatives on the Southern Regional Assembly who are part of the Mid-West Strategic Planning Area Committee.

## Elections

Members of Clare 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.
| Year | | FF | | FG | | SF | | GP | | Lab | | PDs | | Ind | Total |
| 2024 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 28 |
| 2019 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 28 |
| 2014 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| 2009 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 7 | 32 |
| 2004 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 32 |
| 1999 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 32 |
| 1991 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 32 |
| 1985 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 32 |
| 1979 | 17 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 31 |

### Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Clare is divided into the following local electoral areas and municipal districts, defined by electoral divisions.
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
| Ennis | Ennis | Clareabbey, Doora, Ennis No. 1 Urban, Ennis No. 2 Urban, Ennis No. 3 Urban, Ennis No. 4 Urban, Ennis Rural, Kilnamona, Kilraghtis, Spancelhill and Templemaley | 7 |
| Killaloe | Killaloe | Ayle, Ballyblood, Ballynahinch, Boherglass, Caher, Caherhurly, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Scarriff), Cappaghabaun, Carrowbaun, Castlecrine, Cloghera, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Tulla), Cloontra, Cloonusker, Coolreagh, Corlea, Crusheen, Dangan, Derrynagittagh, Drummaan, Fahymore, Feakle, Glendree, Inishcaltra North, Inishcaltra South, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Killanena, Killokennedy, Killuran, Kilseily, Kiltannon, Kyle, Lackareagh, Loughea, Mountshannon, Newgrove, OBriensbridge, Ogonnelloe, Quin, Rathclooney, Rossroe, Scarriff, Toberbreeda, Tomfinlough and Tulla | 5 |
| Shannon | Shannon | Ballycannan, Ballyglass, Cappavilla, Clenagh, Cratloe, Drumline, Killeely, Kiltenanlea, Mountievers, Newmarket, Sixmilebridge and Urlan | 7 |
| West Clare | Ennistymon | Abbey, Ballagh, Ballyea, Ballyeighter, Ballysteen, Ballyvaskin, Boston, Carran, Castletown, Cloghaun, Cloonanaha, Clooney (in the former Rural District of Ennistimon), Corrofin, Derreen, Drumcreehy, Dysert, Ennistimon, Gleninagh, Glenroe, Kilfenora, Killaspuglonane, Killilagh, Killinaboy, Kilshanny, Kiltoraght, Liscannor, Lisdoonvarna, Lurraga, Magherareagh, Milltown Malbay, Mount Elva, Moy, Muckanagh, Noughaval, Oughtmama, Rath, Rathborney, Ruan and Smithstown | 4 |
| West Clare | Kilrush | Annagh, Ballynacally, Cahermurphy (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Clondagad, Cloonadrum, Clooncoorha, Coolmeen, Cooraclare, Creegh, Doonbeg, Drumellihy, Einagh, Formoyle, Furroor, Glenmore, Kilballyowen, Kilchreest, Kilcloher, Kilfearagh, Kilfiddane, Kilkee, Killadysert, Killanniv, Killard, Killimer, Killofin, Killone, Kilmihil, Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Killadysert), Kilmurry (in the former Rural District of Kilrush), Kilrush Rural, Kilrush Urban, Kinturk, Knock, Knocknaboley, Knocknagore, Liscasey, Lisheen, Moveen, Moyarta, Mullagh, Querrin, Rahona, Rinealon, St. Martins, Tullig and Tullycreen | 5 |

## Current councillors

The following were elected at the 2024 Clare County Council election.
| Party | Seats |
| Fianna Fáil | 14 |
| Fine Gael | 9 |
| Sinn Féin | 2 |
| Independent | 3 |

### 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 |
| Ennis | Pat Daly | Fianna Fáil |
| Ennis | Mary Howard | Fine Gael |
| Ennis | Paul Murphy | Fine Gael |
| Ennis | Clare Colleran Molloy | Fianna Fáil |
| Ennis | Tommy Guilfoyle | Sinn Féin |
| Ennis | Antoinette Baker Bashua | Fianna Fáil |
| Ennis | Tom O'Callaghan | Fianna Fáil |
| Ennistymon | Bill Slattery | Fine Gael |
| Ennistymon | Joe Garrihy | Fine Gael |
| Ennistymon | Shane Talty | Fianna Fáil |
| Ennistymon | Joe Killeen | Fianna Fáil |
| Killaloe | Joe Cooney | Fine Gael |
| Killaloe | Pat Hayes | Fianna Fáil |
| Killaloe | Alan O'Callaghan | Fianna Fáil |
| Killaloe | Tony O'Brien | Fianna Fáil |
| Killaloe | Pat Burke | Fine Gael |
| Kilrush | Dinny Gould | Independent |
| Kilrush | Rita McInerney | Fianna Fáil |
| Kilrush | Ian Lynch | Independent |
| Kilrush | Michael Shannon | Fianna Fáil |
| Kilrush | Gabriel Keating | Fine Gael |
| Shannon | David Griffin | Fianna Fáil |
| Shannon | Donna McGettigan | Sinn Féin |
| Shannon | John Crowe | Fine Gael |
| Shannon | Rachel Hartigan | Fianna Fáil |
| Shannon | Pat O'Gorman | Fianna Fáil |
| Shannon | Tony Mulcahy | Fine Gael |
| Shannon | Michael Begley | Independent |

#### Notes

* 1 2 Replaced during term, see table below for details.

#### Co-options

| Party | Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| | Sinn Féin | Donna McGettigan | Shannon | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 10 December 2024 | James Ryan |
| | Fine Gael | Joe Cooney | Killaloe | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 19 December 2024 | Conor Ryan |