# Louth County Council

Louth County Council (Irish: Comhairle Contae Lú) is the local authority of County Louth, 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 29 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 current Cathaoirleach is Kevin Callan. The county administration is headed by a chief executive, David Conway. The county town is Dundalk.

## History

Originally meetings of Louth County Council took place in Dundalk Courthouse. A home for the county officials was subsequently established at County Buildings in Crowe Street and both the county council and its officials moved to County Hall in 2000. Up until then administration services in Dundalk were separated into two different buildings, the former Louth Infirmary at The Crescent and in Crowe Street. This rationalisation streamlined services in one building.
Both the crests of Dundalk and County Louth reference the legend of Táin Bó Cúailnge. Louth traces its name from the Celtic god Lú. According to one interpretation of The Táin, Lú's son is the warrior Cú Chulainn, who it is claimed was born in near Dundalk, hence the fates of Dundalk and Louth are always linked together.

## Regional Assembly

Louth County Council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly who are part of the Eastern Strategic Planning Area Committee.

## Elections

Members of Louth 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 | | SF | | FF | | FG | | Lab | | GP | | PDs | | Ind | Total |
| 2024 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 7 | 29 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 6 | 29 |
| 2014 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 29 |
| 2009 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| 2004 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 26 |
| 1999 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
| 1991 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 26 |
| 1985 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 26 |

## Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Louth is divided into borough and municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions. The municipal district which contains the administrative area of the former borough of Drogheda is referred to as a Borough District.
Councillors have regular monthly meetings both as a whole council and within their municipal district. Each municipal district elects its own chair, titled a Cathaoirleach.
| Municipal District | LEA | Definition | Seats |
| Ardee | Ardee | Ardee Rural, Ardee Urban, Castlebellingham, Clonkeen, Collon, Darver, Dromin, Drumcar, Dunleer, Dysart, Killanny, Louth, Mansfieldstown, Mullary, Stabannan and Tallanstown | 6 |
| Borough District of Drogheda | Drogheda Rural | Clogher, Monasterboice, St. Peter's and Termonfeckin | 4 |
| Borough District of Drogheda | Drogheda Urban | Fair Gate, St Lawrence Gate, St. Mary's (part) and West Gate | 6 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk—Carlingford | Ballymascanlan, Carlingford, Drummullagh, Dundalk No. 1 Urban, Dundalk No. 2 Urban, Faughart, Greenore, Jenkinstown, Rathcor, Ravensdale; those parts of the electoral divisions of Castletown, Dundalk Rural, Dundalk No. 3 Urban and Dundalk No. 4 Urban not contained in the local electoral area of Dundalk South | 6 |
| Dundalk | Dundalk South | Barronstown, Castlering, Creggan Upper, Dromiskin, Haggardstown; those parts of the electoral divisions of Castletown and Dundalk Rural south of the R178 (Carrickmacross Road); and those parts of the electoral divisions of Dundalk No. 3 Urban and Dundalk No. 4 Urban south of a line drawn as follows: Commencing at the boundary between the electoral divisions of Dundalk No. 1 Urban and Dundalk No. 3 Urban at the Carrickmacross Road Bridge and St. Dominick's Place and then proceeding in an easterly direction to the junction of St. Dominick's Place with the roundabout at the Crescent; then proceeding in a clockwise direction around and excluding the said roundabout to its junction with Anne Street; then proceeding in a north-easterly direction along Anne Street to its junction with Park Street; then proceeding in a north easterly direction along Park Street to its junction with Francis Street; then proceeding in a north-easterly direction along Francis Street and Roden Place following the boundary between the electoral divisions of Dundalk No. 1 Urban and Dundalk No. 4 Urban; then proceeding in an easterly direction along Jocelyn Street, Seatown Place and along the road connecting Seatown Place to Barrack Street to reach the junction of said road with the Dundalk Inner Relief Road; then proceeding in a north-westerly projection along the Dundalk Inner Relief Road to its junction with the road at St. Helena; then proceeding along the north-easterly projection of the said road at St. Helena to Dundalk Harbour | 7 |

## Councillors

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

### 2024 seats summary

| Party | Seats |
| Sinn Féin | 7 |
| Fianna Fáil | 6 |
| Fine Gael | 6 |
| Labour | 2 |
| Green | 1 |
| Independent | 7 |

### Councillors by electoral area

This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 7 June 2024.
Council members from 2024 election :
| LEA | Name | Party |
| Ardee | Jim Tenanty | Independent |
| Ardee | Pearse McGeough | Sinn Féin |
| Ardee | Paula Butterly | Fine Gael |
| Ardee | John Sheridan | Fianna Fáil |
| Ardee | Dolores Minogue | Fine Gael |
| Ardee | Bernie Conlon | Independent |
| Drogheda Rural | Michelle Hall | Labour |
| Drogheda Rural | Anne-Marie Ford | Fine Gael |
| Drogheda Rural | Declan Power | Independent |
| Drogheda Rural | Eric Donovan | Sinn Féin |
| Drogheda Urban | Pio Smith | Labour |
| Drogheda Urban | Joanna Byrne | Sinn Féin |
| Drogheda Urban | Kevin Callan | Independent |
| Drogheda Urban | James Byrne | Fianna Fáil |
| Drogheda Urban | Paddy McQuillan | Independent |
| Drogheda Urban | Ejiro O'Hare Stratton | Fine Gael |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | Seán Kelly | Fianna Fáil |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | Antóin Watters | Sinn Féin |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | Fiona Mhic Conchoille | Sinn Féin |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | John Reilly | Fine Gael |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | Andrea McKevitt | Fianna Fáil |
| Dundalk–Carlingford | Ciarán Fisher | Independent |
| Dundalk South | Maeve Yore | Independent |
| Dundalk South | Robert Nash | Fine Gael |
| Dundalk South | Emma Coffey | Fianna Fáil |
| Dundalk South | Kevin Meenan | Sinn Féin |
| Dundalk South | Sionainn McCann | Sinn Féin |
| Dundalk South | Shane McGuinness | Fianna Fáil |
| Dundalk South | Marianne Butler | Green |

#### Notes

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

#### Co-options

| Party | Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| | Fine Gael | Paula Butterly | Ardee | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 18 December 2024 | Rachel Kerley |
| | Sinn Féin | Joanna Byrne | Drogheda Urban | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 18 December 2024 | Debbie McCole |

## Chief executive

Each council has a chief executive, previously known as city or county manager, who is the manager of the local authority.
| Year | Title | Name | Next position |
| 2024–present | Chief Executive | David Conway | |
| 2014–2024 | Chief executive | Joan Martin | |
| 2013–2014 | County Manager | Philomena Poole | County manager for Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council |
| 2012–2013 | Acting County Manager | Joan Martin | |
| 2007–2012 | County Manager | Conn Murray | City and County Manager for Limerick Council |
Each Chief Executive has a Management Team made up of appointed Directors of Service who head specified Directorates. Under a provision of the Local Government Act the elected members must vote confidence in a new chief executive and also have the power to remove one from office. The Cathaoirleach chairs each monthly meeting as well as meetings of the Corporate Policy Group (CPG) some weeks in advance of the agenda being agreed. Members of the CPG Team include the elected chairpersons of each Strategic Policy Committee (SPC), the Directors of Service and the Meetings Administrator. There are five SPC chairpersons in Louth County Council and Directors of Service serve on each with an agreed workplan. There is also an Audit Committee on which two members are elected to serve together with three appointed members, one of whom will be the independent chairperson. The Audit Committee must always remain independent from the council though publishes minutes and an agreed workplan. The LCDC, made up of four elected members, the Chief Executive of the day, several Directors of Service, several staff members and appointed members from various sectoral interests is similar to a SPC in nature, in actual statute, but does not publish or agree its workplan with the elected members or be scrutinised by the Audit Committee despite having a considerable financial budget.

## Cathaoirleach of the council

Every year, the local authority elects a chair called the Cathaoirleach (chairperson) for a term of one year and a deputy chair called the Leas-Cathaoirleach from among its members. The members elected for each municipal district elect a Cathaoirleach and a Leas-Chathaoirleach for their grouping. The Cathaoirleach chairs the meetings of the local authority or municipal district. Mayor and Deputy Mayor are titles used in municipal districts which were formerly borough councils. Based on population the Dundalk Municipal District is the largest in the state, comprising 13 elected members, but is not designated as a borough district. Following the 2014 legislation it was an option for Dundalk to be also recognised as a borough district on the equivalent standing as her sister town of Drogheda on the legislation drawn up by then Minister for Local Government John Paul Phelan. Despite requests this was not taken up.
| Year | Name | Party |
| 2023–2024 | Paula Butterly | Fine Gael |
| 2022–2023 | Conor Keelan | Fianna Fáil |
| 2021–2022 | Pio Smith | Labour |
| 2020–2021 | Dolores Minogue | Fine Gael |
| 2018–2020 | Liam Reilly | Fianna Fáil |
| 2017–2018 | Colm Markey | Fine Gael |
| 2016–2017 | Paul Bell | Labour |
| 2015–2016 | Peter Savage (7th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2014–2015 | Oliver Tully (2nd) | Fine Gael |
| 2013–2014 | Declan Breathnach (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2012–2013 | Finnan McCoy | Fine Gael |
| 2011–2012 | Oliver Tully (1st) | Fine Gael |
| 2010–2011 | Peter Savage (6th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2009–2010 | Jim D'Arcy | Fine Gael |
| 2008–2009 | Declan Breathnach (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2007–2008 | Jimmy Mulroy | Fianna Fáil |
| 2006–2007 | Jim Lennon | Fine Gael |
| 2005–2006 | Peter Savage (5th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2004–2005 | Terry Brennan | Fine Gael |
| 2003–2004 | Nicholas McCabe (8th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2002–2003 | Jacqui McConville | Fianna Fáil |
| 2001–2002 | Tommy Reilly (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 2000–2001 | Nicholas McCabe (7th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1999–2000 | Peter Savage (4th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1998–1999 | Miċéal O'Donnell (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1997–1998 | Martin Bellew | Independent |
| 1996–1997 | Tommy Reilly (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1995–1996 | W. Frank Godfrey | Fianna Fáil |
| 1994–1995 | Nicholas McCabe (6th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1993–1994 | Jim Cousins | Progressive Democrats |
| 1992–1993 | Peter Savage (3rd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1991–1992 | John McConville (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1990–1991 | Miċéal O'Donnell (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1989–1990 | Nicholas McCabe (5th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1988–1989 | Peter Savage (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1986–1988 | John McConville (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1985–1986 | Peter Savage (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1983–1985 | Nicholas McCabe (4th) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1982–1983 | Patrick Buckley | Fine Gael |
| 1981–1982 | Nicholas McCabe (3rd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1980–1981 | Tommy Elmore | Fine Gael |
| 1979–1980 | Nicholas McCabe (2nd) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1976–1979 | Peter J. Moore | Labour |
| 1975–1976 | Patrick J. O'Hare (2nd) | Fine Gael |
| 1974–1975 | Nicholas McCabe (1st) | Fianna Fáil |
| 1973–1974 | Patrick J. O'Hare (1st) | Fine Gael |
| 1967–1973 | Paddy Donegan | Fine Gael |
| 1960–1967 | Bernard Rafferty | Fianna Fáil |
| 1958–1960 | William Woods (2nd) | Fine Gael |
| 1957–1958 | Laurence Walsh | Fianna Fáil |
| 1955–1957 | William Woods (1st) | Fine Gael |
| 1925–1955 | James McGee | Fine Gael |
| 1920–1925 | James Murphy | Sinn Féin |
| 1918–1920 | Patrick McGee | Sinn Féin |
| 1913–1918 | William Doran | Irish Nationalist |
| 1899–1913 | Peter Hughes | Independent |

## Population by local electoral area

The table below sets out the population of the county broken down by Local Electoral Area, total 2022 population of 139,703.
| LEA | Population (2016) | Population (2022) | Seats | Population per seat |
| Drogheda Rural | 17,876 | 19,845 | 4 | 4,961 |
| Drogheda Urban | 27,656 | 28,537 | 6 | 4,756 |
| Dundalk South | 30,207 | 38,195 | 7 | 5,457 |
| Dundalk Carlingford | 25,599 | 26,092 | 6 | 4,349 |
| Ardee | 29,026 | 27,034 | 6 | 4,506 |
The table below sets out the electorate population of the county broken down by Local Electoral Area.
| LEA | Electorate (2022) | Seats | Electorate per seat |
| Drogheda Rural | 14,133 | 4 | 3,533 |
| Drogheda Urban | 19,729 | 6 | 3,288 |
| Dundalk South | 25,691 | 7 | 3,670 |
| Dundalk Carlingford | 20,039 | 6 | 3,339 |
| Ardee | 19,928 | 6 | 3,321 |

## Population by municipal district

The table below sets out the population of the county broken down by Municipal District, total 2022 population of 139,703.
* Dundalk Municipal District
* Drogheda Municipal District
* Ardee Municipal District
| District | Population (2011) | Population (2016) | Population (2022) | Seats | Population per seat |
| Dundalk | 53,082 | 55,806 | 64,287 | 13 | 4,945 |
| Drogheda | 41,925 | 44,052 | 48,382 | 10 | 4,838 |
| Ardee | 27,890 | 29,026 | 27,034 | 6 | 4,506 |

## Population by electoral division

The table below sets out the population of the county broken down by electoral division.
| Electoral Division | Population (2006) | Population (2011) | Population (2016) |
| Louth | 111,267 | 122,897 | 128,375 |
| Dundalk (Town + Rural) | 51,758 | 56,761 | 59,557 |
| Dundalk Town | 29,037 | 31,149 | 32,288 |
| 004 Dundalk Urban No. 1 | 2,190 | 2,148 | 2,169 |
| 005 Dundalk Urban No. 2 | 1,211 | 1,169 | 1,140 |
| 006 Dundalk Urban No. 3 | 1,400 | 1,449 | 1,710 |
| 007 Dundalk Urban No. 4 | 6,183 | 6,039 | 5,970 |
| 023 Castletown (Part Urban) | 2,518 | 2,637 | 2,685 |
| 027 Dundalk Rural (Part Urban) | 15,440 | 17,620 | 18,514 |
| 030 Haggardstown (Part Urban) | 95 | 87 | 100 |
| Dundalk rural area | 22,721 | 25,612 | 27,269 |
| 019 Ballymascanlan | 2,016 | 2,213 | 2,206 |
| 020 Barronstown | 647 | 744 | 746 |
| 021 Carlingford | 1,384 | 1,801 | 2,201 |
| 022 Castlering | 935 | 1,012 | 1,034 |
| 023 Castletown (Part Rural) | 1,421 | 1,573 | 1,622 |
| 024 Creggan Upper | 684 | 787 | 852 |
| 025 Darver | 562 | 568 | 678 |
| 026 Drummullagh | 1,120 | 1,257 | 1,350 |
| 027 Dundalk Rural (Part Rural) | 535 | 540 | 686 |
| 028 Faughart | 905 | 991 | 958 |
| 029 Greenore | 979 | 1,169 | 1,201 |
| 030 Haggardstown (Part Rural) | 5,769 | 6,303 | 6,819 |
| 031 Jenkinstown | 948 | 1,173 | 1,277 |
| 032 Killanny | 683 | 799 | 825 |
| 033 Louth | 1,308 | 1,505 | 1,575 |
| 034 Mansfieldstown | 640 | 807 | 855 |
| 035 Rathcor | 1,203 | 1,352 | 1,374 |
| 036 Ravensdale | 982 | 1,018 | 1,010 |
| Drogheda Borough | 28,973 | 28,576 | 29,471 |
| 001 Fair Gate | 9,783 | 9,806 | 10,317 |
| 002 St. Laurence Gate | 3,801 | 4,004 | 4,075 |
| 003 West Gate | 5,899 | 6,042 | 6,284 |
| 041 St. Peter's (Part Urban) | 3,460 | 2,161 | 2,099 |
| 047 St. Mary's (Part Urban) | 6,030 | 6,563 | 6,696 |
| Ardee No. 1 rural area | 17,976 | 20,262 | 20,924 |
| 008 Ardee Rural | 2,626 | 2,875 | 2,952 |
| 009 Ardee Urban | 4,301 | 4,554 | 4,917 |
| 010 Castlebellingham | 1,371 | 1,617 | 1,688 |
| 011 Clonkeen | 545 | 648 | 675 |
| 012 Collon | 1,380 | 1,770 | 1,859 |
| 013 Dromin | 535 | 610 | 629 |
| 014 Dromiskin | 1,935 | 2,187 | 2,226 |
| 015 Drumcar | 1,385 | 1,526 | 1,451 |
| 016 Dunleer | 2,340 | 2,796 | 2,868 |
| 017 Stabannan | 590 | 620 | 619 |
| 018 Tallanstown | 968 | 1,059 | 1,040 |
| Louth rural area | 12,560 | 17,298 | 18,423 |
| 037 Clogher | 2,494 | 3,031 | 3,237 |
| 038 Dysart | 777 | 918 | 925 |
| 039 Monasterboice | 1,164 | 1,342 | 1,365 |
| 040 Mullary | 1,528 | 1,723 | 1,754 |
| 041 St. Peter's (Part Rural) | 4,022 | 6,990 | 7,605 |
| 042 Termonfeckin | 2,575 | 3,294 | 3,537 |