| Town council | |
|---|---|
| Category | Local authority |
| Location | Ireland |
| Found in | County |
| Created by | Local Government Act 2001 |
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| Abolished by | |
| Abolished |
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| Possible types |
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In Ireland, a town council was the second (or lower) tier of local government from 2002 to 2014.
Operating in smaller towns and cities, they exercised limited functions which were subsidiary to those of their relevant county council. The term was introduced into local government in Ireland by the Local Government Act 2001. From 1 January 2002 the existing urban district councils and boards of town commissioners became town councils. The city of Kilkenny, along with the four boroughs of Sligo, Drogheda, Clonmel, and Wexford, had the same status under the new legislation as towns; however, they had borough councils as successors to the previous borough corporations.[1][2] There were 75 other town councils in addition to these five borough councils.[3] Outside the towns, the county councils were solely responsible for local services.
On 16 October 2012, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government published Putting People First, an "action plan for effective local government".[4] This recommended the abolition of town councils. The town councils were abolished in June 2014 under the Local Government Reform Act 2014.[5]
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, s. 10: Local government areas (No. 37 of 2001, s. 10). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, s. 11: Establishment, titles and administrative areas of local authorities and consequential provisions (No. 37 of 2001, s. 11). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ Local Government Act 2001, 6th Sch.: Local Government Areas (Towns) (No. 37 of 2001, 6th Sch.). Enacted on 21 July 2001. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
- ^ "Putting People First" (PDF). Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. October 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
- ^ Local Government Reform Act 2014, s. 24: Dissolution of town councils and transfer date (No. 1 of 2014, s. 24). Enacted on 27 January 2014. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 21 May 2022.