31.—(1) Subject to this Part each local authority F51[and the municipal district members] shall have a chairperson and vice-chairperson who shall be elected and hold office in accordance with this Part and who in this Act are referred to as “Cathaoirleach” and “Leas-Chathaoirleach”, respectively, and shall be so known except where the provisions of section 32 apply.

F52[(2) The holders of the offices of Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach shall as appropriate be styled—

(a) in the case of a county council, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Chontae....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Chontae....…" followed by the name of the county in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the County of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the County of....…" followed by the name of the county in English,

(b) in the case of a city council, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Chathair....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Chathair....…" followed by the name of the city in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the City of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the City of....…" followed by the name of the city in English,

(c) in the case of a city and county council, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Chathair agus Chontae....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Chathair agus Chontae....…" followed by the name of the city and county in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the City and County of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the City and County of....…" followed by the name of the city and county in English,

(d) in the case of a municipal district whose area contains the area of a city council dissolved by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Cheantar Cathrach....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Cheantar Cathrach....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District of....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in English,

(e) in the case of a municipal district whose area contains the area of a borough council in being (other than in respect of the borough of Kilkenny) immediately before the transfer date as provided for by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Cheantar Buirge....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Cheantar Buirge....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the Borough District of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Borough District of....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in English,

(f) in the case of a municipal district whose area contains the area of the borough of Kilkenny in being immediately before the transfer date as provided for by the Local Government Reform Act 2014, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Cheantar Bardasach Chathair Chill Chainnigh" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Cheantar Bardasach Chathair Chill Chainnigh" and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Kilkenny City" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Municipal District of Kilkenny City",

(g) in the case of a municipal district to which paragraph (d), (e) or (f) does not apply, in the Irish language "Cathaoirleach Cheantar Bardasach....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach Cheantar Bardasach....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in Irish, and in the English language "Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District of....…" and "Leas-Chathaoirleach of the Municipal District of....…" followed by the name of the municipal district in English.]

(3) Any reference in any other enactment to the lord mayor, mayor, chairman, deputy lord mayor, deputy mayor or vice-chairman or cognate words shall, where the context so requires, be read as a reference to the Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach or other title standing for the time being by virtue of section 32, as the case may be.

F52[(4)(a) The Cathaoirleach of a local authority shall take precedence at all meetings of the local authority.

(b) The Cathaoirleach of a municipal district shall take precedence at all meetings and proceedings of the municipal district members.

(5) Anything authorised or required by this Act or otherwise by law to be done by, to or with the Cathaoirleach may where necessary be done by, to or with the Leas-Chathaoirleach of the local authority or the Leas-Chathaoirleach of the municipal district, as the case may be.

(6) The Cathaoirleach may, where the Leas-Chathaoirleach is unavailable, nominate from among the other members of the local authority or the municipal district members, as the case may be, a member for the purpose of representing the Cathaoirleach at any ceremony or event in that capacity and that member shall be entitled to act in that capacity for such purpose.

(7) Where a casual vacancy occurs in the office of Cathaoirleach of a local authority or of a municipal district, as the case may be, the Leas-Chathaoirleach shall assume the responsibilities of the office pending the election in accordance with this Part of a Cathaoirleach.]

(8) A person holding the office of Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach on the commencement of this provision shall continue to hold that office in accordance with this Part.

(9) Subject to this Act, an outgoing Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach shall be eligible for re-election.

(10) F53[…]

(11) Section 34 shall apply to a Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach elected in 2004 in accordance with F53[…] this Part and thereafter.