37) was enacted by the Oireachtas on 21 July 2001 to reform local government in Ireland.
All the county boroughs except Galway had previously had the courtesy title of city by charter or letters patent.
[1] It was subsequently inserted into the 2001 Act by a 2003 amendment after a compensation package had been agreed.
[2][3] Inspired by the creation in the United Kingdom of the office of Mayor of London in 2000, Chapter 3 of Part 5 of the 2001 act as passed provided for a directly elected chairperson (mayor or cathaoirleach) of each county and city council.
[8] The previous practice of ad hoc committees for boundary reviews continued after 2001 and was formalised by the 2014 act.