Changes since 1999

When an existing member resigns or dies, a member is co-opted to replace them. By convention, someone from the same party is co-opted, although the controlling group on the council may appoint whomever they wish. There is no provision for local authority by-elections. Ministers of State have usually relinquished their council seats on appointment.

Following the 1999 local elections, legislation was introduced to abolish the 'dual mandate' where TDs and Senators also served as local councillors (Local Government (No2) Act 2003). Anyone holding a dual mandate qualified for a one-off payment if they resigned their council seat.

Nearly all TDs and Senators took advantage of this offer, and this accounts for the majority of the changes in local authority representation between 1999 and 2004.

*Co-opted member not re-elected at subsequent election
¶Co-opted member who didn't stand at subsequent election
§Co-opted member who stood in a different area at subsequent election

The data in the table above may be sorted by clicking on the column headings