This act brought in a mixed system of government, with county boroughs independent of county administratation, and elsewhere a two tier system with county councils, along with borough, urban district and rural district councils. Urban districts were created from the larger of the town commissioners towns, while the smaller towns retained their town commissioners, but remained in a rural district for sanitary purposes.
The creation of these local government areas had a significant effect on Ireland as it allowed the local people in Ireland to take decisions affecting themselves. It also allowed the development of a new political class, creating a significant body of experienced politicians who would enter national politics in Ireland in the 1920s, and increase the stability of the transitions to the parliaments of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland.
The current pattern of localgovernment in Northern Ireland, with 26 councils, was established in 1973 to replace the previous system established by the LocalGovernment (Ireland) Act1898.
The system is based on the recommendations of the Macrory Report, of June 1970, which presupposed the continued existence of the Government of Northern Ireland to act as a regional-level authority.
For localgovernment purposes, Northern Ireland was previously divided into six administrative counties and two county boroughs, with various rural districts and urban districts in the counties.