The 2024 local elections for the Meath County Council is seeing a competition of 92 contenders across six municipal regions, all trying for 40 available positions. The previous council was primarily influenced by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, each with 12 council seats, followed by Independent councillors who had a firm grasp of 10 seats in the 2019 elections.
Yemi Adenuga of Fine Gael had been in the limelight nationally, being Ireland’s first black female councillor. Her party has now bolstered their ticket offerings in Trim by introducing Luba Healy, who is known for her brave effort of driving across Europe to save her mother and grandmother from conflict-ridden Ukraine, and thus potentially lifting her prominence.
The campaigners have noted that among the primary concerns of the voters are the deficiencies of amenities such as parks, playgrounds and community facilities, along with problems regarding traffic and speed limit. The need for repairs in residential roads, heavily damaged by persistent downpours resulting in hole-filled surfaces, has equally been a concern raised by the voters. Additionally, an increasing amount of antisocial behaviours, water scarcity, and routine delays caused by road and mains repairs, alongside rampant housing issues have also come under the spotlight. Parents are particularly anxious about their children not qualifying for grants due to high earnings, yet not enough to secure mortgage approval.
Although canvassers are distributing their leaflets, they have noticed homeowners’ lack of interaction at the doorstep, triggering fear of a potential low voter count at the election. Sinn Féin hopes to boost its representation after losing five of its councillors post a disastrous 2019 election. Moreover, the emergence of the Aontú party led by the ex-local Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín, could potentially scatter the Sinn Féin vote. Interestingly, Tóibín’s sister Emer won a seat in Navan shortly after the party’s inauguration.
The division of seats across municipal districts is:
Ashbourne: 6
Kells: 7
Laytown-Bettystown: 7
Navan: 7
Ratoath: 7
Trim: 6
Future 2024 Elections will also be held for the European Congress, Dublin, MNW, Ireland South, and will utilise the EU&I Voter App. Elections are also to be held for Limerick’s mayor and for other local bodies in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, and Cork City.
This is a list of distinct counties and council areas across the United Kingdom. These include County Cork, DLR City, Donegal, Dublin City, Fingal, City of Galway, Galway County, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow. Additionally, you can also view the 2019 results for the Meath County Council.