Waterford County Council

Establishment

Waterford County Council was established on 1 April 1899 under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 for the administrative county of County Waterford. It succeeded the judicial county of Waterford, with the exception of the district electoral division of Kilculliheen, which became part of County Kilkenny, and the portions of Carrick-on-Suir and Clonmel, which became part of South Tipperary.

It took over the administrative business until then dealt with by the county grand jury, such as the maintenance of highways and bridges, the upkeep and inspection of lunatic asylums, and the appointment of coroners. The new county council also took over some duties of the poor law boards of guardians and of the justices of the peace to regulate explosives.

The county was divided by the Local Government Board for Ireland into district electoral divisions, each returning one councillor for a three-year term. The urban district of Waterford also elected county councillors, and "additional members" included the chairman of each rural district in the county, unless already elected or disqualified, when the RDC was to appoint another member. The council could also co-opt one or two additional members for a three-year term.

The first county council elections were held on 6 April 1899, and the first business was to appoint additional members. Waterford County Council held its first meeting in Waterford Courthouse, but agreed that later meetings would be held at Dungarvan Courthouse.

The county council established a County Secretary's Office at Arus Brugha at Davitt's Quay in the early-20th century before moving into the modern Civic Offices, Dungarvan, at Davitt's Quay in 1999.

The triennial elections were postponed in 1914, on the outbreak of the First World War.

Elections

The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 introduced the electoral system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) for the 1920 Irish local elections, held in January 1920 (in urban areas) and on 2 June 1920 (in rural areas), during the Irish War of Independence. County Waterford was divided into 4 county electoral areas to elect the 20 members of the council.

Under the Local Government Act 2001, Waterford County Council was allocated 23 seats. The 2009 Waterford County Council election was the last election to the council.

Dissolution

In late 2012, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan announced the proposed merger of Waterford County Council and Waterford City Council. Following implementation of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, it was dissolved on 1 June 2014, and succeeded by Waterford City and County Council.

References

References

1. (12 August 1898). "[[Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898]]".
2. (12 August 1898). "Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898".
3. "Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (c. 37)". [[The National Archives (United Kingdom).
4. (1900). "27th Report of the Local Government Board for Ireland (Cmd. 9480)". [[Local Government Board for Ireland]].
5. Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, c.83
6. (7 April 1899). "Ireland". [[The Times]].
7. (11 January 2019). "The Powers of St Brigid's Well Brewery". Dungarvan Observer.
8. (16 June 2017). "Iconic building gets go ahead to be turned into hostel". Dungarvan Observer.
9. "Waterford County Council, General Administration Papers". Waterford City & County Archives.
10. (30 May 2014). "Structural Changes confirmed for Dungarvan Civic Offices". Dungarvan Observer.
11. "Local Government (Ireland) Act 1919 (c. 19)". [[The National Archives (United Kingdom).
12. (1921). "Annual report of the Local Government Board for Ireland for year 1921". [[Local Government Board for Ireland]].
13. (21 July 2001). "[[Local Government Act 2001]]".
14. (27 January 2014). "[[Local Government Reform Act 2014]]".
15. (22 May 2014). "Local Government Reform Act 2014 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) (No. 3) Order 2014".