People, Place and Power – The Grand Jury System in Ireland

46 Conclusion Although grand juries retained judicial functions in the twentieth century, the Local Government (Ireland) Act, 1898, transferred their civic powers to elected county councils, urban and rural district councils, and boards of guardians. Elections for these new bodies were held in April 1899. The newly-elected councillors were to serve a three-year term. Fig. 21. County Waterford Grand Jury, March 1910, a decade after the Local Government Act.