Local
Name roads after local ‘characters’
CLLR Matthew Keegan would like to see roads in Portlaoise named after “local characters”, instead of the usual dignitaries.
‘Good girl’ brought drugs to prison
A 19-year-old woman who tried to bring drugs into the Midlands Prison was told by Judge Catherine Staines that she was an educated girl who should have kno wn better.
Minister urged to back school in Ballyroan
The Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn was urged to give the green light to Ballyroan’s news school during his visit to Portlaoise last week.
Lake Way eyesore is gone at last
The contentious walled depot built on the green in Lake Way, Kilminchy, is no more.
All going swimmingly in Kilminchy estate
A new swan family is gliding on Kilminchy lake, reflecting a peaceful new start for the largest housing estate in Laois.
Thief drives off in stolen truck in Portarlington
Portarlington Lions Club President Willie Murphy is asking the public to help them to find the truck. a blue Toyota Dyna pickup, registration number 97 KE 3987.
Laois in the dark claims Fleming
Laois County Council have hit back at claims from a local TD that public lights are being switched off across the county.
Full house for Portlaoise’s ‘strictly’
It was a full house when Hazel Conroy from Portlaoise and Butch Horan from Mountmellick were crowned ‘Strictly Dancing’ winners in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel, last Friday, May 17.
Portlaoise man assaulted twice
A young Portlaoise man was treated in hospital for face and shoulder injuries following a violent assault on the Mountmellick road and later in his home.
Groupings positive for Portlaoise - INMO
The linking of the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise with some of the major Dublin Hospital, has cemented the future of the hospital, according to one staff member.
Carlow woman stole cosmetics
A CARLOW woman has been given a suspended sentence for committing two thefts from the Kyle Shopping Centre in Portlaoise.
Better access to graves needed
REMOVE the bollards at Portlaoise cemetery to allow workmen access and ensure the gates are open on time.
Man was ‘out of his mind on drink’
A PORTLAOISE man convicted of public order offences has been given a suspended sentence and warned by Judge Catherine Staines to stop drinking.
Town council slams ‘bully-boy’ antics of Minister Hogan
THE “bully-boy” tactics of Minister Phil Hogan in hitting old age pensioners with the Household Charge have been roundly criticised by Portlaoise Town Council.
Polish people make up largest non-Irish group
Polish people make up the largest group of non-Irish nationals in County Laois, according to Census 2011 Area Profiles which where published by the Central Stastics Office, last week.
Parents to play role in 3rd level uptake
Parents have to take some of the responsibility for the low rate of third level participation by Laois students, according to Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn.
Power needed to evict unruly private tenants
MINISTER Phil Hogan must provide legislation to provide new powers to allow for the eviction of “unruly and unsociable tenants” from their private rented accomadation,
Policing meeting for PortlaoiseResidents
Laois Community Forum are hosting an Information and Networking Evening for all Portlaoise Residents groups on Tuesday, May 21 at 7.30pm .
FF blamed for prefab school
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn TD went on a school tour to Laois yesterday, where he roundly blamed Fianna Fáil for leaving the largest primary school in the county to rely on 24 prefabs and just eight permanent classrooms.
Early start for Mountmellick walkers
Eager walkers set off even earlier than planned at Mountmellick’s Darkness into Light 5k walk last Saturday. An estimated 650 walkers and runners took to the Mountmellick streets in aid of Pieta House, who provide free suicide counselling at crisis centres around Ireland.
€100,000 owed to council in derelict building fines
A massive 95 per cent of fines levied on the owners of derelict properties have not been paid, a Laois County Councillor has claimed.
1 comment
Portlaoise hospital left with just one ambulance
THE HSE are denying claims that changes to the roster of the Ambulance Service will leave only one ambulance on duty in Portlaoise two days every week.
Rathdowney has 8% non-Irish
Non-Irish nationals accounted for 8.7 per cent of the population of Rathdowney compared with a national average figure of 12.0 per cent. UK nationals (38) were the largest group, followed by Polish (34).
Portlaoise’s car commuters
Almost One third of the working population in Portlaoise faced a commuting time in excess of 30 minutes.
Portlaoise should be prioritised for IDA investment
A Laois TD has called on the IDA to include Portlaoise has one of the priority towns for investment along with the Midlands towns of Athlone, Tullamore and Mullingar.
Dead boy’s family left in the dark
The family of an eight-year-old boy who died just hours after been sent home from Portlaoise Hospital’s A&E have been kept in the dark regarding a ‘review’ following hospital concerns after his death.
‘A life is a life’ says the new K&L Bishop
The new Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin will be officially invested in his new position on the first Sunday of August, this year.
Used fake french driving licence
A Congalese national who used a fake french diving licence to get an irish driving licence was before Portlaoise District Court, last week.
Public day for Greenwire
Element Power, the company behind the €8 billion Greenwire wind turbine project are promoting it as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for Ireland to connect to the European grid.
Praise for Arts officer after draft plan presentation
LAOIS County Council’s arts officer Muireann Ní Chonnaill received high praise from councillors when she unveiled the draft arts plan at last week’s monthly meeting of the council.
Toilet wanted for Mountmellick park - council
Parents are bringing their children into the Standex factory to use the facilities, according to Mountmellick Town Councillor Ollie Payne.
Meath man fined for getting sick in his cell
A Meath man who got sick all over his cell in Abbeyleix Garda Station while he was in custody had his bail revoked to pay the cleaning costs.
Environment study required
The plan for a big electricity substation in Laois has hit its first planning hurdle in the shape of a requirement for a substantial report on how the project will affect the environment.
Mick Mullohand
Fianna Fail will survive. But to what degree? That is a question that still hangs very much in the air after its Ard Fheis in Dublin last weekend.
Work begins on Parish Schools Site
Work has began on creating the roadways into the new parish school campus, however it will still be another two years before the building work is completed.
Port rector turns down Bishop job
Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson of St Paul’s parish church in Portarlington, has confirmed that he is to continue on as Rector there and for his five other churches in Laois and Kildare.
Garda’s finger broken in Portloise incident
A CONVICTED rapist who refused to allow gardaí to take his photograph, fingerprints or sample of saliva during an incident in Portlaoise Garda Station in which a garda had his finger broken, had charges of obstruction and assault causing harm withdrawn against him at the recent circuit court in Portlaoise.
‘Holy disgrace’ of street brawl
EIGHT men who were involved in a violent row in Portlaoise’s Top Square in St Patrick’s Day last year appeared before last week’s circuit court, where CCTV footage showed images of an assault which left the injured party with a broken jaw.
Jail for Portlaoise man who finds horses ‘irresistible’
Before the recent circuit court in Portlaoise was Darren McInerney, who was appealing two convictions for offences committed in 2010.
ABUSIVE AT ELECTRIC PICNIC
An Abbeyleix man who was intoxicated and became abusive to security staff at last year’s Electric Picnic was fined €300 for public order offecnces at Portlaoise District Court, last week.
€50,000 not enough to repair our roads
MORE money is needed to fix roads around Ratheniska ahead of the National Ploughing Championships, according to a number of Laois county councillors.
Caring for hospital patients
As a UK medical student, then a medical educator in Ireland and the UK from 1976 to 2006, I witnessed patient-centred concerns, such as communication skills and acknowledging the patient’s point of view, inreasingly emphasised on undergraduate medical courses.
The story so far for Abbeyleix Hospital
The HSE shocked the community of Abbeyleix in late 2011 by announcing their intention to close the unit on a phased basis.
Biggest addict in town sentenced to five years
A PORTLAOISE man described by gardai as one of the biggest heroin addicts in the town has been sentenced to five years, with the last two suspended, for a string of thefts and burglaries.
Fined for stealing groceries
A Portlaoise woman was fined €300 for stealing less than €10 worth of groceries from Mace on the Tullamore Road, Mountmellick on March 24..
Bench warrant for no appearance
A bench warrant was issued for a Rathdowney woman who is charged with theft from the Bank of Ireland in Rathdowney on April 13, 2010.
Portlaoise Parish €100k in the black
Despite being €300,000 in the red at the beginning of the year, Portlaoise Parish ended 2012 with €100,000 in the bank.
Pay cut for priests
All the priests in the Diocese have taken a 12% decrease in their salaries, as a result of a reduction in the amount collected in Priests collections.
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Weather for Portlaoise
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: South west
