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Galway - Politics

Galway - Politics: Encyclopedia II - Galway - Politics

Galway - City Council. Services such as rubbish collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by a fifteen member city council elected to five year terms by proportional representation, the next such election is due in June 2009. The make-up of the current city council is: four Labour Party, three Fine Gael, three Progressive Democrats, two Fianna Fail, one Green Party, ...

Galway: Encyclopedia II - Galway - Politics

Galway - Politics

Galway - City Council

Services such as rubbish collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by a fifteen member city council elected to five year terms by proportional representation, the next such election is due in June 2009. The make-up of the current city council is: four Labour Party, three Fine Gael, three Progressive Democrats, two Fianna Fail, one Green Party, one Sinn Fein and one independent.

Last June's 2005 elections to the city council saw a significant change in its composition as left wing parties (Labour, Greens and Sinn Fein) increased their number of seats from two to six. At the same time, Fianna Fail lost three seats and there was an independent councillor elected in the north/east ward. Although some have argued that this has given the city council a more representative make-up, others say that it has led to grid-lock and infighting. Certainly the situation has been exacerbated by the number of new and thus inexperienced councillors (eight out of fifteen elected are first time councillors).

Galway - Galway Chamber

Galway City, Capital of the West of Ireland, is now the third largest City (County Borough area) in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin and Cork. The City has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years. Galway City has a strong local economy with complementary business sectors, including manufacturing industry, tourism, retail and distribution, education, healthcare, and services that include financial, construction, cultural, and professional.

Galway - Mayoralty

The City Council is chaired by a mayor who elected to a one year term by their fellow councillors. Their role is mainly ceremonial, although they do have the casting vote. The current mayor is Cllr. Brian Walsh (Fine Gael) who was elected in June 2005.

Galway - Deputies

Galway City is part of the Galway West constituency of Dail Eireann. Its TDs include:

Noel Grealish (Progressive Democrats)
Michael D. Higgins (Labour ). He is the party's President and former minister for Minister for Arts, Culture & the Gaeltacht..
Éamon Ó Cuív (Fianna Fail).
Frank Fahy (Fianna Fail).
Pádraic McCormack (Fine Gael).

All but Éamon Ó Cuív have significant support in the city. Senator Margaret Cox (Fianna Fail) also maintains her political base in Galway city. In the General Election of 2002, Galway West was considered a 'swing constituency' due to the battle between Fianna Fail's Senator Margaret Cox and the Progressive Democrats' Noel Grealish. The victory of Noel Grealish by several hundred votes over Senator Cox deprived Fianna Fail of its first overall majority since 1977 and led to a coalition government being formed between Fianna Fail and the Progressive Democrats that has been in office since then.