23 May 2014 2019 → 12 6 | 13 12 Start date May 23, 2014 | |
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An election to Limerick City and County Council took place on 23 May 2014 as part of that year's Irish local elections. 40 councillors were elected from six electoral divisions by PR-STV voting for a five-year term of office. This is a new local authority which was formed out of a merger from the abolished Limerick City Council and Limerick County Councils.
Significantly Fianna Fáil emerged as the largest party on the Council after the elections despite being 3,838 first preference votes behind Fine Gael. The party won seats in Limerick city, historically a weak area for them in local elections. Its best results were in Cappaghmore-Kilmallock and Limerick City East where they secured 3 seats in each LEA. Fine Gael were disadvantaged by the merger of the 2 local authorities as they held many councillors on the old City Council and several of these Councillors were defeated under the new boundaries. However, the party won 3 seats in Newcastle West. It was a very poor election for Labour as they just returned 1 seat in each of the 3 city LEAs just as did the Anti-Austerity Alliance. Sinn Féin sent a delegation of 6 councillors back to the new chamber to join their existing member Maurice Quinlivan. Independents secured the remaining 3 seats, 1 of which was Emmett O'Brien a former member of the Fianna Fáil National Executive. After the elections 4 of the Fianna Fáil members broke away to form an independent block over an internal disagreement over who should secure the Chairmanship of the Council. This was later resolved after intercession by Party Headquarters and they rejoined the Fianna Fáil grouping.