Local Elections: Meath County Council results

Ninety-two candidates, spread across six municipal districts, are running for 40 seats on Meath County Council in the local elections 2024.

The outgoing council was dominated by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael (12 seats each) and Independent councillors, who won 10 seats in 2019.

Fine Gael’s Yemi Adenuga made national headlines last time out, becoming the first black woman to be elected a councillor in Ireland. The party has added Luba Healy on to the ticket in Trim, hoping her well-documented drive across Europe to rescue her mother and grandmother from Ukraine after war broke out has raised her profile.

Candidates say issues such as a lack of playgrounds, parks and community facilities, as well as speed and traffic issues, are hot topics on the doorsteps. Potholes and the need for road repairs in housing estates, with many surfaces damaged by persistent heavy rain, have also been raised with canvassers. Rising antisocial behaviour, speeding in villages and constant delays and water shortages caused by roadworks and mains repairs are also emerging as issues. Housing is also an issue with many parents worried about children who earn too much to access grants but too little to obtain mortgage approval.

Canvassers say homeowners are taking the leaflets but are slow to engage on the doorsteps which they believe may translate into a low turnout on polling day.

Sinn Féin will be looking to bolster its numbers after a devastating 2019 election saw them lose five sitting councillors. Its vote could be diluted by the rise of the Aontú party, established by former local Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín, whose sister Emer took a seat in Navan just months after the party was formed.

Ashbourne: 6 seats

Kells: 7 seats

Laytown – Bettystown: 7 seats

Navan: 7 seats

Ratoath: 7 seats

Trim: 6 seats

[ View 2019 Meath County Council results ]