# Laois County Council

Laois County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the local authority of County Laois, 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 19 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, John Mulholland. The county town is Portlaoise.

## History

Laois County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Laois, then called Queen's County. It included the judicial county of Queen's County except for the part in the town of Carlow, which became part of the administrative county of County Carlow.
Meetings were originally held in Portlaoise Courthouse. After the courthouse became inadequate, a purpose-built facility, known as County Hall was built in May 1982.

## Regional Assembly

Laois 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 Laois 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 | | FG | | FF | | SF | | Lab | | PDs | | Ind | Total |
| 2024 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 5 | 19 |
| 2019 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| 2014 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 19 |
| 2009 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 25 |
| 2004 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 25 |
| 1999 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| 1991 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| 1985 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 25 |
| 1979 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| 1974 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 25 |

## Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Laois is divided into municipal districts and LEAs, defined by electoral divisions.
| Municipal District and LEA | Definition | Seats |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Aghmacart, Arderin, Ballybrophy, Ballyfin, Borris-in-Ossory, Brisha, Caher, Capard, Cappalough, Cardtown, Castlecuffe, Castletown, Clash, Clonaslee, Clonin, Clonmore, Coolrain, Cuffsborough, Cullahill, Dangans, Donaghmore, Donore, Dunmore, Durrow, Errill, Garrymore, Graigue, Grantstown, Kilcoke, Kildellig, Killermogh, Kilnaseer, Kyle, Kyle South, Lacka, Marymount, Meelick, Moneenalassa, Moneymore, Mountmellick Rural, Mountmellick Urban, Mountrath, Nealstown, OMoresforest, Rathdowney, Rathsaran, Rearymore, Rosenallis, Tinnahinch and Trumra. | 6 |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Ardough, Arless, Ballickmoyler, Ballyadams, Ballybrittas, Ballycarroll, Ballylehane, Ballylynan, Barrowhouse, Curraclone, Doonane, Emo, Farnans, Fossy, Graigue Rural, Jamestown, Killabban, Kilmullen, Kilmurry, Luggacurren, Moyanna, Newtown, Portarlington South, Rathaspick, Rossmore, Sallyford, Shrule, Stradbally, Tankardstown, Timahoe, Timogue, Turra and Vicarstown. | 6 |
| Portlaoise | Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Blandsfort, Borris, Clondarrig, Clonkeen, Colt, Cullenagh, Dysartgallen, Kilcolmanbane, Portlaoighise Rural, Portlaoighise Urban, Raheen and Shaen. | 7 |

## Current councillors

The following were elected at the 2024 Laois County Council election.
| Party | Seats |
| Fianna Fáil | 6 |
| Fine Gael | 5 |
| Sinn Féin | 2 |
| Labour | 1 |
| Independent | 5 |

### 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 |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Conor Bergin | Fine Gael |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | James Kelly | Independent |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Paddy Bracken | Fianna Fáil |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | John King | Fine Gael |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Ollie Clooney | Independent |
| Borris-in-Ossory–Mountmellick | Séamus McDonald | Fianna Fáil |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Aidan Mullins | Sinn Féin |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Paschal McEvoy | Fianna Fáil |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Ben Brennan | Independent |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Pádraig Fleming | Fianna Fáil |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Aisling Moran | Independent |
| Graiguecullen–Portarlington | Vivienne Phelan | Fine Gael |
| Portlaoise | William Aird | Fine Gael |
| Portlaoise | Caroline Dwane-Stanley | Sinn Féin |
| Portlaoise | Tommy Mulligan | Independent |
| Portlaoise | John Joe Fennelly | Fianna Fáil |
| Portlaoise | Catherine Fitzgerald | Fianna Fáil |
| Portlaoise | Barry Walsh | Fine Gael |
| Portlaoise | Marie Tuohy | Labour |

#### Notes

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

#### Co-options

| Party | Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| | Fine Gael | William Aird | Portlaoise | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 8 December 2024 | Paddy Buggy |

#### Changes in affiliation

| Name | LEA | Elected as | Elected as | New affiliation | New affiliation | Date |
| Aidan Mullins | Graiguecullen–Portarlington | | Sinn Féin | | Independent | 28 August 2024 |
| Caroline Dwane-Stanley | Portlaoise | | Sinn Féin | | Independent | 27 December 2024 |