EDITORIAL: What do the Tipperary 2024 Local Election results mean?

Negotiations have begun in earnest for control of Tipperary County Council following the conclusion of the Local Elections count for 2024.

Fine Gael has won ten seats (down from twelve in 2019 but still a huge result for the party in the Premier County; remember Ger Darcy and Michael Fitzgerald didn’t run) and Fianna Fáil has won ten seats (up from nine in 2019, a huge result for the Government parties overall).

Labour’s resurgence in Tipperary - going from one seat in 2019 to three in 2024 - will play a huge role in Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Labour, having control of Tipperary County Council for the next five years, The Nationalist and Tipperary Star understand.

According to sources close to the negotiations, the three parties have a strong history of working together in Tipperary.

Senior sources in Fine Gael have said the party is open to a power sharing arrangement with the other two parties.

It is also understood that it will mean the poll-topping Labour councillor from Newport, Fiona Bonfield, will be Cathaoirleach of Tipperary County Council for a one-year term.

With the other four years split between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil as to who holds the title of Cathaoirleach. One source described the news for Cllr Bonfield as “well-deserved”.

In Tipperary, the rest of the council will be made up of two Sinn Féin - who had a disastrous Local Elections in the county (the party won two seats in 2019 as well) - and fifteen Independents (down from sixteen in 2019 but seventeen Independents ran in 2024 and fifteen were elected - which is a remarkable return for the candidates). 

So, what do all of the results mean across the 40 seats? Well, five more years of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, alongside Labour, having control of Tipperary County Council.

But Tipperary is still a county full of strong Independents - Team Lowry among them.

Could there be enough for a coalition of Independents in 2029?