# Meath County Council

Meath County Council (Irish: Comhairle Chontae na Mí) is the local authority of County Meath, 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 40 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, Kieran Kehoe. The county town is Navan.

## History

Meath County Council commissioned a purpose-built headquarters at Railway Street in Navan in the early 20th century. It then moved to more modern facilities at the new County Hall on the Dublin Road in Navan in 2017.

## Regional Assembly

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

## Elections

Members of Meath 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 | | Aon | | Lab | | SD | | GP | | WP | | Ind | Total |
| 2024 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 40 |
| 2019 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 40 |
| 2014 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 40 |
| 2009 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 29 |
| 2004 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 29 |
| 1999 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 29 |
| 1991 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 5 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 29 |
| 1985 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 29 |

## Local electoral areas and municipal districts

County Meath is divided into LEAs, defined by electoral divisions, and into municipal districts which exercise powers of the council locally.
| Municipal District and LEA | Definition | Seats |
| Ashbourne | Ardmulchan, Donaghmore, Kentstown, Kilbrew, Rathfeigh, Skreen, Stamullin, Tara; those parts of the electoral division of Ardcath not contained in the local electoral area of Laytown — Bettystown; and those parts of the electoral division of Ratoath to the east of a line drawn along the M2 motorway | 6 |
| Kells | An Ráth Mhór, Ardagh, Baile Átha Buí, Ballinlough, Balrathboyne, Boherboy, Burry, Carrickleck, Castlekeeran, Castletown, Ceanannas Mór Rural (part), Ceanannas Mór Urban, Crossakeel, Crosskeys, Cruicetown, Domhnach Phádraig, Drumcondra, Girley, Grennanstown, Killallon, Killeagh, Kilmainham, Kilskeer, Knocklough, Loughan, Maperath, Martry, Moybolgue, Moylagh, Moynalty, Newcastle, Newtown, Nobber, Oldcastle, Posseckstown, Rathkenny, Staholmog, Stonefield, Tailtin and Trohanny | 7 |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Duleek, Grangegeeth, Julianstown, Killary, Mellifont, Painestown, Slane, St. Marys (part), Stackallan; and those parts of the electoral division of Ardcath north of a line drawn as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the boundary between the townlands of Bellewstown and Prioryland with the R152 road and then proceeding in a north-easterly direction along the R152 road to its intersection with the R150 road; then proceeding in an easterly direction along the R150 road to its intersection with the boundary between the electoral divisions of Ardcath and Duleek | 7 |
| Navan | Ardbraccan, Bective, Navan Rural and Navan Urban | 7 |
| Ratoath | Culmullin, Dunboyne, Dunshaughlin, Killeen, Kilmessan, Kilmore, Rodanstown; and those parts of the electoral division of Ratoath not contained in the local electoral area of Ashbourne | 7 |
| Trim | Ardnamullan, Ballyboggan, Ballyconnell, Castlejordan, Castlerickard, Cill Bhríde, Cloghbrack, Clonmacduff, Gallow, Galtrim, Hill of Down, Innfield, Kilcooly, Kildalkey, Killaconnigan, Killyon, Laracor, Rahinstown, Rathmolyon, Summerhill, Trim Rural and Trim Urban | 6 |

## Councillors

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

### 2024 seats summary

| Party | Seats |
| Fine Gael | 11 |
| Fianna Fáil | 9 |
| Sinn Féin | 6 |
| Aontú | 2 |
| Social Democrats | 1 |
| Independent | 11 |

### 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 |
| Ashbourne | Joe Bonner | Independent |
| Ashbourne | Amanda Smith | Independent |
| Ashbourne | Alan Tobin | Fine Gael |
| Ashbourne | Suzanna Jamal | Fine Gael |
| Ashbourne | Conor Tormey | Fianna Fáil |
| Ashbourne | Helen Meyer | Sinn Féin |
| Kells | Sarah Reilly | Fine Gael |
| Kells | Eugene Cassidy | Fine Gael |
| Kells | Sean Drew | Fianna Fáil |
| Kells | Mike Bray | Fianna Fáil |
| Kells | Michael Gallagher | Sinn Féin |
| Kells | David Gilroy | Independent |
| Kells | Peter Caffrey | Sinn Féin |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Sharon Tolan | Fine Gael |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Paddy Meade | Fine Gael |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Geraldine Keogan | Independent |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Stephen McKee | Fianna Fáil |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Wayne Harding | Fianna Fáil |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Maria White | Sinn Féin |
| Laytown–Bettystown | Carol Lennon | Independent |
| Navan | Eddie Fennessy | Sinn Féin |
| Navan | Emer Tóibín | Aontú |
| Navan | Francis Deane | Independent |
| Navan | Pádraig Fitzsimons | Fianna Fáil |
| Navan | Linda Nelson Murray | Fine Gael |
| Navan | Alan Lawes | Independent |
| Navan | Yemi Adenuga | Fine Gael |
| Ratoath | Gillian Toole | Independent |
| Ratoath | Maria Murphy | Fine Gael |
| Ratoath | Brian Fitzgerald | Independent |
| Ratoath | Caroline O'Reilly | Fianna Fáil |
| Ratoath | Nick Killian | Independent |
| Ratoath | Gerry O'Connor | Fine Gael |
| Ratoath | Fionnan Blake | Sinn Féin |
| Trim | Noel French | Independent |
| Trim | Joe Fox | Fine Gael |
| Trim | Aisling Dempsey | Fianna Fáil |
| Trim | Dave Boyne | Aontú |
| Trim | Padraig Coffey | Fianna Fáil |
| Trim | Ronan Moore | Social Democrats |

#### Notes

* 1 2 3 Replaced during term, see table below for details.

#### Co-options

| Party | Outgoing | LEA | Reason | Date | Co-optee |
| Independent | Gillian Toole | Ratoath | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 18 December 2024 | Yvonne Everand |
| Fianna Fáil | Aisling Dempsey | Trim | Elected to 34th Dáil at the 2024 general election | 18 December 2024 | Paul O'Rourke |
| Fine Gael | Linda Nelson Murray | Navan | Elected to 27th Seanad at the 2025 Seanad election | January 2025 | TBA |