Local Government Act 2001
Annual election of Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach by local authority.
36.—(1) (a) Subject to paragraph (c), a local authority shall elect a Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach from amongst its members at every annual meeting.
(b) The election of a Cathaoirleach shall be carried out in accordance with section 37.
(c) A member of a local authority who is a member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann shall be disqualified from being elected or from being a Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach of a local authority.
F66[(d) On the commencement of section 2 of the Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003, paragraph (c) shall cease to apply and have effect.]
(2) (a) Subject to subsection (3), a member who holds the office of Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach shall hold that office (unless he or she becomes disqualified under subsection (1)(c), resigns under section 33 or is removed from office under section 34) from election until a successor is elected at the next annual meeting of the local authority after that member’s election to that office.
(b) In a year in which local elections are to be held under section 26 and notwithstanding subsection (3), subsection (4) shall apply in respect of a Cathaoirleach.
(3) Except as is provided for in subsection (4), the Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach of a local authority shall, upon ceasing to be a member of the authority, cease to be Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach of that authority.
(4) Following a local election the Cathaoirleach shall continue to hold office for the period between the retirement of the outgoing members and the commencement of the annual meeting at which the successor is elected unless he or she sooner dies or resigns from the office or becomes disqualified for local authority membership.
Annotations
Amendments:
F66
Inserted (2.06.2003) by Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003 (17/2003), s. 4 and sch., commenced on enactment.
Modifications (not altering text):
C39
Section applied with modifications (14.06.2024) by Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024 (7/2024), s. 5 and sch. 3 ref. no. 7, S.I. No. 285 of 2024, subject to transitional provisions in s. 4.
Application of Principal Act to Limerick
5. The Principal Act shall apply to—
(a) Limerick, and
(b) Limerick City and County Council,
subject to the modifications specified in Schedule 3 and any other necessary modifications.
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SCHEDULE 3
APPLICATION OF PRINCIPAL ACT TO LIMERICK
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Reference Number (1) |
Provision (2) |
Extent of Modification (3) |
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... |
... |
... |
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7 |
Section 36 |
Section shall apply as if, in addition to its applying to the Príomh Chomhairleoir and Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir by virtue of sections 23 and 25 , “Following a local election occurring after the commencement of the term of office of the person first elected as Mayor of Limerick, the Príomh Chomhairleoir of Limerick City and County Council” were substituted for “Following a local election the Cathaoirleach” in subsection (4). |
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... |
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C40
Functions transferred and references construed (16.05.2024) by Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2024 (7/2024), ss. 23, 25 and sch. 1 part 1, S.I. No. 207 of 2024, subject to transitional provisions in s. 4.
Functions of Príomh Chomhairleoir
23. (1) All functions conferred by or under an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Príomh Chomhairleoir.
(2) From the vesting day, a reference in an enactment specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 to Cathaoirleach or Cathaoirligh shall, in so far as that reference applies to the Cathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Príomh Chomhairleoir, or as including a reference to the Príomh Chomhairleoir, as the context may require.
(3) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
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Functions of Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir
25. (1) All functions conferred by or under any enactment that, immediately before the vesting day, vested in the Leas-Chathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council shall, on and after that day, vest in the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir.
(2) From the vesting day, a reference in any enactment to Leas-Chathaoirleach shall, in so far as that reference applies to the Leas-Chathaoirleach of Limerick City and County Council, be construed as a reference to the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir, or as including a reference to the Leas-Phríomh Chomhairleoir, as the context may require.
(3) This section shall apply subject to the modifications of the Principal Act specified in Schedule 3.
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SCHEDULE 1
PART 1
Enactments for Purposes of Sections 10 and 23
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Number and Year (1) |
Provision (2) |
Extent of Modification (3) |
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No. 37 of 2001 |
Local Government Act 2001 |
Sections 11(5)(b), 11(8), 31(4)(a), 31(5), 31(7), 31(9), 31(11), 33, 34(2)(e), 36, 37, 38, 104(7)(a), 133(6)(a), 134(4)(b), 140(8), 141(1)(b), 141(4), 142(2)(a), 142(5)(f), 143(1), 147, 148, 158(3), 174(8), 178(2)(b), 178(5), 180(3)(a), 189(9), 190(9), 216(2)(a), 219(1) and 220(1); paragraphs 3(4), 4(2), 4(3), 6(1), 6(2), 6(3), 7(9), 10, 13(5)(e), 13(6) and 16(4)(c) of Schedule 10; paragraph 3 of Schedule 14. |
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C41
Application of section extended with modifications (1.06.2014) by Local Government (Application of Certain Provisions of the Local Government Act 2001 to Municipal District Members) Regulations 2014 (S.I. No. 230 of 2014), reg. 6(1), in effect as per reg. 3.
Annual election of Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach.
6. (1) The provisions of section 36 of the Act shall apply to the annual election of a Cathaoirleach and Leas-Chathaoirleach of municipal district members:—
(a) as if, in subsection (1)(a):—
(i) the reference to “a local authority” were a reference to “municipal district members”, and
(ii) the reference to “its members” were a reference to “their members”,
(b) as if, in subsection (2), the reference to “the local authority” were a reference to “the municipal district members”,
(c) as if, in subsection (3):—
(i) the reference to “a local authority” were a reference to “municipal district members”,
(ii) the reference to “ceasing to be a member of the authority” were a reference to “ceasing to be a municipal district member for the municipal district concerned”, and
(iii) the reference to “that authority” were a reference to “of those municipal district members”.