Our mission is to make Waterford the best possible place for all its people and for those that wish to live, visit, work or invest here.
Our Mission Statement
Governance
The City and County Council is headed by Chief Executive, Mr. Seán McKeown. It comprises five (5) directorates, each with a different area(s) of responsibility. Day to day management of the organisation is carried out by over 850 staff under the leadership of the Senior Management Team.
The Corporate Headquarters are based in City Hall, The Mall, Waterford, X91 PK14.
Seán McKeown, Chief Executive Senior Management Team
Both the Senior Management Team and the Elected Members are “Designated Public Officials” under the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015.
Information on the services, responsibilities and functions of the organisation can be found here.
Plenary Council
The Plenary Council refers to Waterford City & County Council as a whole, it being the sum of the constituent districts of Comeragh, Dungarvan/Lismore and the Metropolitan District of Waterford.
The Plenary Council has 32 elected members, each representing one of the above named districts. The current members of Council were elected in the local elections of 2024.
The Plenary Council meets once per month, with meetings scheduled for the second Thursday of every month. Venues alternate between the Council Chambers in Waterford City and those in Dungarvan. There is no meeting of the Plenary Council in August.
Current Mayor
The current plenary Mayor of Waterford City & County is Cllr. Séamus Ryan (Labour).
To contact the mayor, please email mayor@waterfordcouncil.ie
Read moreThe process for inviting the Mayor to attend a function is outlined in the document below.
Mayoral ProtocolStrategic Policy Committees
SPCs
Waterford City & County Council operates 5 Strategic Policy Committees (SPCs), each served by the relevant Director of Service.
The Chairs of the SPCs are selected by the Council members at the AGM. The SPCs are sub-committees of Waterford City and Council and must abide by the Standing Orders and rules of procedure of the Council.
Read MorePlans, Reports & Strategies
The many Plans, Reports and Strategy documents that the Council produces can be found in our documents section.
Openness & Transparency
The Openness & Transparency section contains information on Ethics, Freedom of Information, Procurement, Protected Disclosures and so on.
Read MorePublic Attendance at Council Meetings
In line with the Plenary Standing Orders ‘Regulating the proceedings of the Council 2024-2029’, adopted by the Plenary on 21st June 2024:
Members of the public may be permitted to attend meetings of the Council in such numbers as are safely allowed by the capacity of the Council Chamber or such other room in which the Council meets from time to time. The admittance of the public shall be regulated by the distribution equally among the Members in advance, of authorisations (tickets) to occupy the available accommodation for disposal at the discretion of each Member.
In the event of unused capacity in the public gallery being available not less than 10 minutes before the scheduled commencement of the meeting, members of the public may be admitted by signing their name and address in the appropriate entry register provided by the relevant Meetings Administrator.
The Council may at its sole discretion decide that entry to any meeting may be by ticket only.
Notwithstanding which, Meetings in Committee in part or in total of the Whole House shall be held in the absence of the media and the public, according to the need as determined by the Council in any case, for the exploration of special subjects and the formulation of policy.
The right of members of the public and representatives of the media to attend Council meetings is subject to the following:-
Where the Council is of opinion that the absence of members of the public and representatives of the media from the whole or part of a particular meeting is desirable because:
- Of the special nature of the meeting, or of an item of business to be, or about to be considered at the meeting, or
- For other special reasons,
the Council may by resolution decide to meet in committee for the whole or a part of the meeting concerned, where the Council considers that such action is not contrary to the overall public interest.
The Council may regulate the right of members of the public and representatives of the media to be present at meetings and, in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may:
- taking account of available space, limit the number of persons to be admitted.
- make rules governing the conduct of persons present at meetings.
- provide for the removal of members of the public who interrupt the proceedings or who otherwise misconduct themselves, or
- make rules in relation to the taking of photographs or the use of any means for recording or relaying the proceedings as they take place or at a later stage.
In the event of online meetings there is no limit to attendance of the public.
