Limerick City Council
Encyclopedia
Limerick City Council is the local authority
which is responsible for the city of Limerick
in Ireland
. It is the responsible for local government, sanitation, motor vehicles tax, and social housing.
The period between 1651 and 1656 represents the only break in the existence of Limerick Corporation. This came about by the surrender of the Old English settlers to Cromwellian forces in 1651. During this time, the city was administered by a Military Governor. In 1656, the Corporation was restored, but under Protestant rule. Catholics who had previously run the corporation were excluded from taking part in local government. There was a brief Catholic restoration of power in 1687 when Lord Tyrconnal, appointed by James II of England
, deposed the Protestant Mayor and his sheriffs and replaced them with a Catholic Mayor, one Catholic and one Protestant sheriff. Limerick Corporation would remain in Catholic control until the Treaty of Limerick
in October 1691.
Between 1691 and 1841, Limerick Corporation was ruled by only a few powerful families. This period is known both as "The long eighteenth Century" and the "Corrupt Corporation".
The Corrupt Corporation was brought to an end after the passing of the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840
. The act also brought an end to Protestant control of the council.
Limerick had its first female Mayor in 1921 Alderman Maire O'Donovan was appointed Mayor while the incumbent of the position was fund-raising for the newly established government of Ireland in the United States. She held the position for seven months, from 21 May 1921 until 30 January 1922.
In 1934, the Free State government of Ireland enacted the Limerick City Management Act. This new law took away much of the day-to-day responsibilities from the Mayor and gave it to an appointed City Manager.
Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2001
, Limerick Corporation became Limerick City Council.
The powers of the Mayor have been greatly reduced since the 1934 Act, and the role is mainly ceremonial. The Mayor also chairs city council meetings.
Council meetings normally take place on Mondays, however, there are occasions when it convenes on a Tuesday.
Council members are elected by the electorate every five years. Only council members are able to elect the Mayor. A new Mayor is elected in June of each year.
s; Limerick East, Limerick North and Limerick South which elect four, six and seven councillors respectively.
Fine Gael
are the largest party on the council with eight seats, followed by Labour Party
with four, Independents with three and Fianna Fáil
and Sinn Féin
with one each.
‡ Changed Party, see table below.
announced that Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council
would be merged into a single local authority. The merger would come into effect following the 2014 local elections. The new entity would be headed by a directly elected Mayor, with a five-year term.
Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Local government functions in the Republic of Ireland are mostly exercised by thirty-four local authorities, termed county or city councils, which cover the entire territory of the state. The area under the jurisdiction of each of these authorities corresponds to the area of each of the 34 LAU I...
which is responsible for the city of Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is the responsible for local government, sanitation, motor vehicles tax, and social housing.
History
The Council was formerly known as Limerick Corporation after the City of Limerick received its Charter of Incorporation from King John I of England in 1197. The first Mayor of Limerick was Adam Sarvant. Between 1197 and 1651, Limerick City Council was dominated by English settlers.The period between 1651 and 1656 represents the only break in the existence of Limerick Corporation. This came about by the surrender of the Old English settlers to Cromwellian forces in 1651. During this time, the city was administered by a Military Governor. In 1656, the Corporation was restored, but under Protestant rule. Catholics who had previously run the corporation were excluded from taking part in local government. There was a brief Catholic restoration of power in 1687 when Lord Tyrconnal, appointed by James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, deposed the Protestant Mayor and his sheriffs and replaced them with a Catholic Mayor, one Catholic and one Protestant sheriff. Limerick Corporation would remain in Catholic control until the Treaty of Limerick
Treaty of Limerick
The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. It concluded the Siege of Limerick. The treaty really consisted of two treaties which were signed on 3 October 1691. Reputedly they were signed on the Treaty Stone, an...
in October 1691.
Between 1691 and 1841, Limerick Corporation was ruled by only a few powerful families. This period is known both as "The long eighteenth Century" and the "Corrupt Corporation".
The Corrupt Corporation was brought to an end after the passing of the Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840
Municipal Corporations (Ireland) Act 1840
The Municipal Corporations Act 1840 , An Act for the Regulation of Municipal Corporations in Ireland, was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 10 August 1840....
. The act also brought an end to Protestant control of the council.
Limerick had its first female Mayor in 1921 Alderman Maire O'Donovan was appointed Mayor while the incumbent of the position was fund-raising for the newly established government of Ireland in the United States. She held the position for seven months, from 21 May 1921 until 30 January 1922.
In 1934, the Free State government of Ireland enacted the Limerick City Management Act. This new law took away much of the day-to-day responsibilities from the Mayor and gave it to an appointed City Manager.
Following the enactment of the Local Government Act 2001
Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act, 2001 was enacted by the Oireachtas of the Republic of Ireland on 21 July 2001. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002....
, Limerick Corporation became Limerick City Council.
Council hierarchy
The City Council's day-to-day operations are run by the City Manager. The current City Manager is Tom Mackey.The powers of the Mayor have been greatly reduced since the 1934 Act, and the role is mainly ceremonial. The Mayor also chairs city council meetings.
Council meetings normally take place on Mondays, however, there are occasions when it convenes on a Tuesday.
Council members are elected by the electorate every five years. Only council members are able to elect the Mayor. A new Mayor is elected in June of each year.
Council services
Limerick City Council is responsible for a number of local administrative services in the City. These include Motor Vehicle Tax, environmental maintenance and litter control, social housing, city planning, maintenance of roads, sanitation and upkeep of municipal sports, recreation facilities and for administrating the higher education grant for university students who reside within the Limerick City boundary. Limerick City Council, however, has no control of suburban areas of the overall Limerick City urban area. Limerick County Council is responsible for areas such as Castletroy and Dooradoyle while Clare County Council is responsible for areas such as Shannon Banks and Westbury. The situation of three local authorities controlling a relatively small city has drawn much criticism and efforts are being made to extend the city boundary and for one local authority to control the whole Limerick City urban area. Notable results from this situation include an incoherent growth strategy for the city and a gradual decline in the city centre as a large number of out of town shopping malls have been built in the suburbs with little focus on the city centre.Composition and political control
Currently Limerick City Council consists of three Local Electoral AreaLocal electoral area
A local electoral area is a sub-division of a county and city-level local government used for electoral purposes in Ireland. Each local electoral area consists of a number of lower-level units known as district electoral divisions...
s; Limerick East, Limerick North and Limerick South which elect four, six and seven councillors respectively.
Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
are the largest party on the council with eight seats, followed by Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
with four, Independents with three and Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
with one each.
Councillors by electoral area
This list reflects the order in which councillors were elected on 5 June 2009.‡ Changed Party, see table below.
Changes in Party
| Name | Electoral area | Original Party | New Party | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Kiely Kevin Kiely Kevin Kiely is an Irish politician and former Mayor of Limerick from 2009–10. He was made a Peace Commissioner in 1983 by the then Fine Gael Minister for Justice, Michael Noonan. He is a member of Fine Gael. He was first elected to Limerick City Council in 1985. He was re-elected to the council in... |
Limerick North | Fine Gael Fine Gael Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000... |
Independent | January 2011 | ||
Proposed merger with County Council
On 28 June 2011, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil HoganPhil Hogan
Phil Hogan is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency since 1989, and is the current Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.-Early and private life:...
announced that Limerick City Council and Limerick County Council
Limerick County Council
Limerick County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Limerick in Ireland. The Council is responsible for housing and community, roads and transportation, urban planning and development, amenity and culture, and environment. The head of the council has the title of...
would be merged into a single local authority. The merger would come into effect following the 2014 local elections. The new entity would be headed by a directly elected Mayor, with a five-year term.
External links
- Limerick City Council website
- First Citizens of the Treaty City: The Mayors and Mayorlty of Limerick (1197-2007) - Mattew Potter