Ireland is a unitary State composed of municipalities (towns and boroughs), counties and cities, and of regions.

 

 

 

 

The town council (or borough council) is elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The council appoints the mayor and is responsible for making development plans of the municipality.

 

The town clerk is the executive head of the council. This civil servant is responsible for the municipal administration.

 

The mayor is elected every year by councillors from among the municipal council.  He chairs the council.

 

 

. Road construction and maintenance
. Housing
. Leisure Facilities
. Urban planning
 
Note: Town authorities comprise borough councils and town councils (formerly called borough corporations, urban district councils and town commissioners). The town and borough councils do not cover the entire territory of the state. Only 80 towns in total have their own town/borough council – these cover some 14% of the national population.

 

 

The intermediary level in Ireland is composed of 29 county councils and 5 city councils. These are the “primary” units of local government in Ireland, and between them cover the entire area and population of the country.

 

 

The county council (or city council) is elected by direct universal suffrage for five years, using proportional representation. The number of councillors varies and is set by national legislation. The council elects a mayor/chairperson from amongst its members for one year. It is assisted by policy committees for local policies, made up of both local elected members of the council and various local interests, such as business, environmental groups and the community and voluntary sector. The elected council exercises what are known as reserved functions, which include the adoption of the main policies of the local authority. These include major policy documents, plans and strategies of the council, as well as local laws and the annual budget. The elected council also oversees the administration of these policies.

 

The county or city manager heads the administration and has a number of responsibilities related to the internal management of the local authority, and implementation of policy. In particular, the manager exercises and oversees executive functions (staff management, public agreements, revenue collection, planning permissions, and housing allocation).

 

The mayor/chairperson of the council is the ceremonial head of the local authority. (S)he is elected each year by members of the council. The mayor/chairperson chairs meetings of the council and represents the city or county.

 

 

. Urban planning
. Road infrastructures
. Water supply and treatment
. Waste Management and Environment
. Housing
. Fire services and civil defence
. Libraries
. Local arts, culture and leisure facilities

. Coordination of public services across different agencies operating locally

 

Note: There is at least one council for each county. Dublin county has 3 councils.

 

 

 

 

The regional authority is composed of nominated members from the county and city councils composing the region. Each regional authority is headed by a chairperson. The regional authority is assisted by an operational committee composed of the members whose members are those of the authority, as well as county and city managers, and other officials of public agencies operating locally.

 

The chairperson is elected from among the regional assembly. The chairperson presides over meetings of the regional authority.

 

 

. Coordination of public services
. Supervision and monitoring of the European Union structural and cohesion fund implementation

The regional assembly

 

The regional assembly is composed of nominated members from the regional authorities composing the assembly area. Each regional assembly is headed by a chairperson. The regional assembly is also assisted by an operational committee composed of the members, as well as county and city managers, and other officials of public agencies operating locally.

 

The chairperson is elected from among the regional assembly. The chairperson presides over meetings of the regional authority.

 

 

. Coordination of public services
. Supervision and monitoring of the European Union structural and cohesion fund implementation
. Advising on regional dimension of the national development plan
. Managing of regional operational programmes under the national development plan

 

 

The local government act in Ireland (2001)