Independents proved to be the biggest winners in the elections, gaining 7 seats to return to the council with 10 members. In addition Sinn Féin gained 4 additional seats on the council, leaving them with 6 councillors in total. The additional seats helped to insulate Fine Gael from significant seat losses and they remained the largest party despite losing a seat overall. Fianna Fáil gained 3 seats overall to return with 7 members and though they had more first preference votes than Fine Gael, they won 1 less seat overall. Several of the successful Independents such as Joe Behan, Christopher Fox and Jim Ruttle all had former Fianna Fáil connections. The Labour Party polled disastrously in the election and were wiped out in what had been one of their former strongholds, losing all 6 seats. Outgoing councillor and outgoing chairman, Jimmy O'Shaughnessy also lost his seat in the election. O'Shaughnessy was a former Labour member. However, 2 former Labour councillors, Tom Fortune and Tommy Cullen, were returned as Independents.
It was also notable that none of the mayors of the town councils were elected. Mick Glynn (FG; Bray), Malcolm Earls (FG; Wicklow) and Peter Dempsey (Ind; Arklow) all failed to be elected, while George Jones (FG; Greystones) retired after serving over 40 years as a Town Councillor and County Councillor.
Following the elections, the Fine Gael group with 8 councillors, the Fianna Fáil group with 7 councillors and an independent technical group of 4 councillors came together to become the "official/government" side of the council, while the Sinn Féin group with 6 councillors, the Green Party councillor and an independent technical group of 5 councillors formed the "opposition" side of the council. One independent councillor refused to join either side and remained on his own.
Following the election, at the first Annual General Meeting of the council, Christopher Fox (Independent) was elected Cathaoirleach (chairman) of the council. John Ryan (Fine Gael) was elected as Leas-Cathaoirleach (Vice-chairman) of the council.
The "control" of the council was a rainbow coalition of Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Independent. The opposition side consists of Sinn Féin/Green Party/Independent.
Changesedit
†Greystones Independent Cllr Jennifer Whitmore joined the Social Democrats on 14 November 2015.[1]
††Wicklow Independent Cllr Pat Kavanagh died on 17 December 2015. Her sister, Mary, was co-opted to fill the vacancy on 7 March 2016.[2]
†††Bray Sinn Féin Cllr John Brady was elected as a TD for Wicklow at the Irish general election, 2016. Michael O'Connor was co-opted to fill the vacancy in March 2016.
††††Wicklow Fianna Fáil Cllr Pat Casey was elected as a TD for Wicklow at the Irish general election, 2016. Gail Dunne was co-opted to fill the vacancy in March 2016.
†††††Following an internal row with Sinn Féin TD, John Brady, three Wicklow Cllrs Oliver O'Brien (Bray), Gerry O'Neill (Greystones) and John Snell (Wicklow) were stripped of the party whip and became Independents.[3] On 8 12 Oliver O'Brien joined Peadar Tóibín's new movement.[4]
†††††† Arklow Sinn Féin Cllr Mary McDonald resigned from the party and became an Independent on 10 March 2019 saying she was restricted in what she could do at Council level.[5]
Referencesedit
^"Wicklow County Council". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 2 June 2014.
^"Wicklow County Council Local Election results". Wicklow.ie.
External linksedit
Wicklow County Council
November 12, 2023
2014, wicklow, county, council, election, election, wicklow, county, council, took, place, 2014, part, that, year, irish, local, elections, councillors, were, elected, from, five, electoral, divisions, arklow, baltinglass, bray, greystones, wicklow, voting, fi. An election to Wicklow County Council took place on 23 May 2014 as part of that year s Irish local elections 32 councillors were elected from five electoral divisions Arklow Baltinglass Bray Greystones and Wicklow by PR STV voting for a five year term of office an increase of 8 seats from the previous election in 2009 In addition Arklow Town Council Bray Town Council Greystones Town Council and Wicklow Town Council were all abolished as per the Local Government Reform Act 2014 2014 Wicklow County Council election 2009 23 May 2014 2019 All 32 seats on Wicklow County Council17 seats needed for a majority First party Second party Third party Party Fine Gael Fianna Fail Sinn FeinSeats won 8 7 6Seat change 1 3 4 Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party Party Green Independent LabourSeats won 1 10 0Seat change 1 7 6Map showing the area of Wicklow County CouncilCouncil control before electionFine GaelLabour PartyFianna Fail Council control after election Fine GaelFianna FailIndependentIndependents proved to be the biggest winners in the elections gaining 7 seats to return to the council with 10 members In addition Sinn Fein gained 4 additional seats on the council leaving them with 6 councillors in total The additional seats helped to insulate Fine Gael from significant seat losses and they remained the largest party despite losing a seat overall Fianna Fail gained 3 seats overall to return with 7 members and though they had more first preference votes than Fine Gael they won 1 less seat overall Several of the successful Independents such as Joe Behan Christopher Fox and Jim Ruttle all had former Fianna Fail connections The Labour Party polled disastrously in the election and were wiped out in what had been one of their former strongholds losing all 6 seats Outgoing councillor and outgoing chairman Jimmy O Shaughnessy also lost his seat in the election O Shaughnessy was a former Labour member However 2 former Labour councillors Tom Fortune and Tommy Cullen were returned as Independents It was also notable that none of the mayors of the town councils were elected Mick Glynn FG Bray Malcolm Earls FG Wicklow and Peter Dempsey Ind Arklow all failed to be elected while George Jones FG Greystones retired after serving over 40 years as a Town Councillor and County Councillor Contents 1 Results by party 2 Results by local electoral area 2 1 Arklow 2 2 Baltinglass 2 3 Bray 2 4 Greystones 2 5 Wicklow 3 Aftermath 4 Changes 5 References 6 External linksResults by party editParty Seats First Pref votes FPv Fine Gael 8 1 10 179 19 9Fianna Fail 7 3 10 196 19 9Sinn Fein 6 4 8 493 16 7Green 1 1 1 217 2 4Labour 0 6 1 595 3 1People Before Profit 0 1 054 2 05Independent 10 7 18 228 35 7Totals 32 8 51 389 100 0 Results by local electoral area edit 1 2 Arklow edit Arklow 6 seats Party Candidate FPv Count1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10Fianna Fail Pat Fitzgerald 20 55 1 937 Fianna Fail Pat Kennedy 16 46 1 552 Fine Gael Sylvester Bourke 11 53 1 087 1 132 1 156 1 158 1 179 1 243 1 370 Fianna Fail Tommy Annesley 9 16 864 1 130 1 181 1 186 1 232 1 298 1 380 Sinn Fein Mary McDonald 7 91 746 776 787 811 853 872 972 976 1 088 1 092Independent Tom Curran 7 0 660 690 703 731 766 807 892 902 1 075 1 082Independent Jimmy O Shaughnessy 6 55 618 629 699 714 743 768 Independent Peter Dempsey 6 54 617 692 695 703 767 813 850 853 Independent Miriam Murphy 6 31 595 651 669 691 747 815 933 949 1 233 1 245Labour Mary Mooty 3 42 322 350 355 359 376 Independent Nicky Kelly 3 0 283 322 329 349 Direct Democracy Brian Whelan 1 03 97 102 104 Independent Charlie Keddy 0 53 50 55 56 Electorate 16 752 Valid 9 428 56 28 Spoilt 104 Quota 1 347 Turnout 9 532 56 90 Baltinglass edit Baltinglass 6 seats Party Candidate FPv Count1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Independent Tommy Cullen 16 90 1 802 Sinn Fein Gerry O Neill 14 45 1 541 Independent Jim Ruttle 14 42 1 538 Fine Gael Edward Timmins 11 95 1 274 1 374 1 381 1 402 1 405 1 411 1 434 1 513 1 850Fine Gael Vincent Blake 11 66 1 244 1 255 1 258 1 285 1 285 1 285 1 389 1 402 1 468Fianna Fail Pat Doran 9 98 1 064 1 086 1 086 1 115 1 115 1 116 1 162 1 305 1 324Sinn Fein Aidan Kinsella 6 09 650 685 689 716 723 724 792 823 840Fine Gael Lorcan McMahon 5 45 581 596 603 611 615 618 627 723 Fianna Fail Joe McCormac 3 81 406 439 446 456 458 460 473 Independent Kevin Byrne 2 51 268 287 312 380 381 382 Independent Jillian Godsil 1 81 193 214 250 Independent Dominic Plant 0 68 73 90 Independent Charlie Keddy 0 29 31 36 Electorate 18 501 Valid 10 665 57 65 Spoilt 123 Quota 1 524 Turnout 10 788 58 31 Bray edit Bray 8 seats Party Candidate FPv Count1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16Sinn Fein John Brady 16 95 2 142 Independent Joe Behan 12 11 1 516 Independent Christopher Fox 11 85 1 484 Independent Brendan Thornhill 6 55 820 843 896 903 912 947 964 1 004 1 013 1 102 1 138 1 217 1 298 1 498 Green Steven Matthews 6 01 752 768 791 797 799 813 826 847 865 888 953 1 073 1 163 1 302 1 346 1 381Fianna Fail Pat Vance 5 41 677 691 720 729 731 737 743 755 767 786 816 860 942 974 986 998Sinn Fein Oliver O Brien 5 39 675 1 163 1 205 1 210 1 214 1 222 1 254 1 271 1 283 1 309 1 314 1 336 1 341 1 541 Fianna Fail David Grant 5 12 641 665 722 728 729 732 744 760 771 799 814 853 921 970 976 989Fine Gael John Ryan 4 71 590 594 607 617 617 620 624 634 647 656 851 942 1 312 1 339 1 347 1 358People Before Profit Sharon Briggs 4 47 560 638 667 673 676 703 750 770 783 817 834 881 907 Fine Gael Mick Glynn 4 39 550 560 580 588 589 592 595 607 615 630 746 842 Fine Gael Sarah Wray 3 93 492 498 505 515 517 519 521 529 554 565 Labour Ronan McManus 3 58 448 461 481 487 490 497 500 513 623 639 677 Labour Tracy O Brien 1 76 220 231 240 243 244 244 247 251 Independent Barry Nevin 1 65 207 224 225 250 254 271 288 318 322 Independent Eugene Finnegan 1 34 168 185 211 217 221 232 246 Independent Catherine Hannon Kennedy 1 16 145 162 179 182 189 198 Independent Seay Ledwidge 1 0 126 133 142 146 154 Independent Charlie Keddy 0 39 49 54 59 61 Electorate 23 347 Valid 12 522 53 63 Spoilt 148 Quota 1 392 Turnout 12 670 54 27 Greystones edit Greystones 6 seats Party Candidate FPv Count1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11Independent Jennifer Whitmore 27 44 2 328 Independent Tom Fortune 14 64 1 242 Fine Gael Derek Mitchell 9 56 811 931 941 944 975 1 006 1 111 1 145 1 278 Sinn Fein Nicola Lawless 8 08 686 757 796 800 823 840 847 882 896 897 1 090Fianna Fail Gerry Walsh 7 45 632 732 747 749 755 806 827 1 043 1 068 1 074 1 110Fine Gael Grainne McLoughlin 7 46 633 755 771 774 808 851 922 960 1 167 1 215 People Before Profit Jacqui Johnston 3 88 329 452 490 495 516 532 547 577 591 593 Fianna Fail James Doyle 3 83 325 380 393 395 410 478 505 Fine Gael Liz Dillon 3 65 310 405 411 412 442 454 511 532 Green Niall Byrne 3 58 304 462 480 483 542 555 578 611 668 676 800Fine Gael David O Reilly 3 36 283 345 349 350 369 383 Fianna Fail Taragh Hanley 2 82 239 295 302 304 306 Labour Ian McGahon 2 22 188 273 283 286 Independent Charlie Keddy 2 10 178 243 Electorate 16 531 Valid 8 485 51 33 Spoilt 81 Quota 1 213 Turnout 8 566 51 82 Wicklow edit Wicklow 6 seats Party Candidate FPv Count1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15Sinn Fein John Snell 15 33 1 577 Independent Daire Nolan 11 26 1 159 1 162 1 169 1 170 1 176 1 180 1 191 1 196 1 266 1 281 1 317 1 370 1 394 1 468 1 475Fianna Fail Pat Casey 11 20 1 152 1 157 1 161 1 162 1 166 1 173 1 176 1 190 1 197 1 218 1 238 1 301 1 320 1 342 1 404Fine Gael Shay Cullen 9 85 1 013 1 016 1 022 1 024 1 025 1 035 1 039 1 048 1 061 1 076 1 095 1 156 1 212 1 224 1 330Fine Gael Irene Winters 7 47 769 772 772 776 777 794 799 830 834 864 888 930 1 024 1 072 1 328Independent Pat Kavanagh 5 19 534 538 543 556 573 587 625 637 655 702 825 880 930 1 109 1 200Fianna Fail Gail Dunne 6 87 707 711 712 715 722 724 729 752 757 775 799 824 885 947 1 082Fine Gael Malcolm Earls 5 27 542 547 550 555 560 569 572 595 598 623 647 685 789 827 Sinn Fein Garrett O Reilly 4 63 476 519 522 531 542 549 573 580 615 635 666 708 761 Labour Paul O Brien 4 05 417 424 426 428 432 453 460 471 479 498 543 580 Independent Jimmy O Shaughnessy 3 98 409 422 425 431 437 447 456 471 477 508 539 Independent John Goodman 3 72 383 386 387 390 397 404 417 426 435 457 Independent Gerry Kinsella 2 40 247 252 258 265 269 281 294 302 307 eirigi Sean Doyle 1 79 184 186 189 191 195 196 217 219 Independent Mervyn Morrison 1 69 174 175 175 176 180 190 193 People Before Profit Anna Doyle 1 60 165 167 168 172 174 187 Green Paul Leahy 1 56 161 161 161 166 170 Independent Michael Mulvihill 0 86 88 91 93 94 94 Direct Democracy Norman Phillips 0 71 73 74 76 Independent Charlie Keddy 0 57 59 59 Electorate 18 303 Valid 10 289 56 21 Spoilt 91 Quota 1 470 Turnout 10 380 56 71 Aftermath editFollowing the elections the Fine Gael group with 8 councillors the Fianna Fail group with 7 councillors and an independent technical group of 4 councillors came together to become the official government side of the council while the Sinn Fein group with 6 councillors the Green Party councillor and an independent technical group of 5 councillors formed the opposition side of the council One independent councillor refused to join either side and remained on his own Following the election at the first Annual General Meeting of the council Christopher Fox Independent was elected Cathaoirleach chairman of the council John Ryan Fine Gael was elected as Leas Cathaoirleach Vice chairman of the council The control of the council was a rainbow coalition of Fine Gael Fianna Fail Independent The opposition side consists of Sinn Fein Green Party Independent Changes edit Greystones Independent Cllr Jennifer Whitmore joined the Social Democrats on 14 November 2015 1 Wicklow Independent Cllr Pat Kavanagh died on 17 December 2015 Her sister Mary was co opted to fill the vacancy on 7 March 2016 2 Bray Sinn Fein Cllr John Brady was elected as a TD for Wicklow at the Irish general election 2016 Michael O Connor was co opted to fill the vacancy in March 2016 Wicklow Fianna Fail Cllr Pat Casey was elected as a TD for Wicklow at the Irish general election 2016 Gail Dunne was co opted to fill the vacancy in March 2016 Following an internal row with Sinn Fein TD John Brady three Wicklow Cllrs Oliver O Brien Bray Gerry O Neill Greystones and John Snell Wicklow were stripped of the party whip and became Independents 3 On 8 12 Oliver O Brien joined Peadar Toibin s new movement 4 Arklow Sinn Fein Cllr Mary McDonald resigned from the party and became an Independent on 10 March 2019 saying she was restricted in what she could do at Council level 5 References edit Wicklow County Council Irish Independent Archived from the original on 2 June 2014 Wicklow County Council Local Election results Wicklow ie External links editWicklow County Council Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2014 Wicklow County Council election amp oldid 1174877304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
