Administrative Regions

Local Government in Ireland

Local Government is administered by county councils. They are an example of an administrative region.

• There are 29 County Councils in total.
• Dublin has three councils as well as a city council. Cork, Galway, and Waterford also have city councils.
• Elected county council representatives control the day-to-day running of their county, dealing with areas such as waste disposal, water supply, and planning permission.
• Every five years, a development plan is drawn up, and funding is sourced from areas such as planning fees, commercial rates, and funds from the central government.

Local Government in France

Local Government in France is divided into Regional Governments, Departments and Communes. They are examples of administrative regions, all responsible for different government functions.

Regional Level

• In 1982, a law was passed giving power to regional authorities in France, with each one being made up of groups of départements, aiming to decentralise some power from the French government.
• Each authority looks after its region's finances, schools, and heritage.
• France is divided into 22 regional governments.

Département Level

• Regional government is divided into 96 départements, similar to Ireland's counties.
• They were established after the French Revolution in 1789, with each one having a unique two-digit number – for example, number 75 is in Paris.
• They are responsible for planning, social services, and motor tax.
• The last two numbers on car number plates are the two-digit codes of the département where the car was registered.

Commune Level

• The smallest division, similar to villages or parishes.
• There are over 36,000 communes, each with its own mayor.
• They are responsible for water supply, lighting, and other minor issues.

*French Departments *