- Cabinet ministers stay, hints Kenny
- Kenny defends human rights stance
- Race row ex-mayor loses party whip
- PayPal to hire 1,000 more staff
- Family anger at gun suspect hearing
- U-turn made over cuts to schools
- Bank donates artworks to taxpayers
- Fury at child hospital overcrowding
- 3bn euro in state assets to be sold
- Families 'numb' over farm deaths
- Plea to ban smoking in playgrounds
- Road rage killer offers apology
- Bosses 'should pay for sick leave'
- Builder dismisses safety warnings
Local
Mountrath man defies eviction
Mountrath man, Lee Wellstead is still in his home this week after a high noon style showdown last Monday in which the county sheriff failed to evict him from his two storey detached home at Knockanina.
Donaghmore woman leads PayPal jobs boost
A Donaghmore woman has helped secure 1,000 jobs for Louth has been introduced to the county manager with a view to bringing jobs Laois.
5,000 oppose Shaen closure
More than 5,000 people have told the HSE they do not want Shaen Hospital to close but campaigners have claimed that the executive is ignoring families with loved ones who need the vital care that the hospital can give.
Mountmellick Glanbia scoops horticulture award
Glanbia CountryLife Mountmellick won an award at Bord Bia’s National Amenity Horticulture Quality Awards, held recently in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin. Over 180 industry representatives attended the Awards which were presented by Shane McEntee, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture with responsibility for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety.
Ratheniska group to address Oireachtas committee
The Ratheniska Action Group will address the Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture tomorrow (Tuesday, February 21). The committee will be briefed by a wide range of opinion on the proposed €280 million high-voltage power line from Meath to Tyrone.
Minister opens Civil Defence facility
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter officially opened a new facility for local Civil Defence volunteers at Mountmellick on Friday last.
Offaly Council silent on estate
Offaly County Council were unable to comment on the situation regarding the unfinished Riverside Estate in Portarlington.
Deadlock as Port estate in darkness
The streetlights have finally been switched off in Shandra Woods, leaving the Portarlington estate of 54 homes in darkness.
Flanagan welcomes measures in Finance Bill
Laois Offaly T.D. Charlie Flanagan has welcomed a number of important measures which he says will benefit both the agri food sector and farmers directly. This follows the publication of the Finance Bill by Minister Michael Noonan in the Dail.
School ‘threat’ as teaching cuts loom
SEAN Fleming has hit out at the Government’s decision to increase pupil teacher ratio numbers in primary schools after being warned by schools around Laois that teaching jobs on the line.
Equality Tribunal to close
The office of the Equality Tribunal is to close down in Portlaoise following an announcement by the Government. and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.
Durrow stab victim named
The Durrow man who died following a stabbing incident in Kilkenny in the early hours of this morning has been named.
Kilkenny stab victim was from Durrow
The young man who lost his life in St Luke’s hospital, Kilkenny after a stabbing incident in a city housing estate in the early hours of this morning was from Durrow and had been living in the rented accommodation a short time.
Council owed €9m
Laois County Council is owed €9million in unpaid development levies, rates and commercial water charges, according to the 2010 Audit Report. Representing more than 10% of the council’s total spending for that year, head of finance Gerry Murphy said the Council was actively pursuing the recovery of all debts, but admitted that some of the amount outstanding would have to be written off.
Portlaoise house on sale for €10,000
The property market hits a new low for sellers next week as an end terrace house in Portlaoise goes on offer for a paltry €10,000.
FG Mayor backs septic tank bill
Portlaoise’s Mayor was the only Fine Gael councillor to support his Government’s controversial regulations on septic tanks.
Judgement on sentence next week in abuse case
The Court of Criminal Appeal has further adjourned the sentence appeal of a Laois man convicted of the repeated rape and sexual assault of his daughter over a ten year period.
Car parking spaces at the Department
tHERE are 150 car parking spaces at the Department of Agriculture headquarters in Portlaoise, outgoing Chairman Peter Luttrell told the recent IFA agm. Of this number, 144 spaces were for staff, leaving six spaces for the farmers of this country.
Fianna Fail look to future
A FOCUS on the next local elections is the first order of business for Laois Fianna Fail, as it seeks to rebuild in Laois-Offaly, following the catastrophic general election a year ago.
€9m owed to Council
LaOIS County Council is owed €9 million in development levies, rates and commercial water charges, according to audit reports.
Investigate HSE legal costs - Flanagan
THE Minister for Health should investigate the Health Service Executive’s legal costs, Charlie Flanagan TD has stated.
World War 1 grenade on Emo farm
A WORLD War 1 grenade, found on a farm in Emo, was this afternoon (Thursday, February 9) defused by the Army Bomb Squad.
600 litter complaints
A TINY friction of complaints from the public about dumping and littering ended up with someone being convicted in court last year.
Mountmellick councillor robbed
for the second time in as many months a politican has been robbed in Laois.
Minister knew of Abbeyleix closure since July
It has been revealed that discussions on the future of Abbeyleix Hospital were being held at the highest level as far back as last July, but residents and their families are still waiting for the HSE to speak with them.
No gateway for IDA jobs
JUST two per cent of jobs in foreign-owned companies in the midlands are located in Laois according to figures supplied by the IDA.
Crime surge
Crime dropped in Laois last year but there has been a huge rise in burglaries in the south of the county.
Gorgeous George set for Abbeyleix
Laois’ ladies may be looking forward to Valentine’s Day but a few hearts will almost certainly be a flutter sometime this year as hopes grow of a visit to the county in April by Hollywood star George Clooney.
Rathdowney appeal
Abbeyleix Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to an accident in Rathdowney, last week in which a pedestrian was knocked down.
Row shuts Mountrath pubs
MOUNTRATH was brought to a standstill last Friday night week, when a violent dispute among members of the Travelling community forced several of the local pubs to close early for fear of property damage or personal injury.
Portlaoise Chinese restaurant robbed
GARDAI are appealing to the public for information, following two burglaries in Laois recently.
Video coverage of Six Nations
IRELAND’S rugby squad may not have got their Six Nations campaign off to the ideal start but this year’s championship is breaking new media ground regionally in Ireland with video coverage of the competition provided for the first time to newspapers in the Johnston Press group by Irish content creator Ballywire.ie.
Gang on loose
Lack of evidence and daily changing number plates is making it difficult for Abbeyleix gardai to stop a crime wave spreading across South Laois, a garda told a packed public meeting in Durrow last week.
IDA lashed on ‘abysmal’ jobs record
LESS public money is spent in Laois attracting multi-national backed jobs than in any other county in Ireland, and a surge in spending in 2010 led to the net loss of one job.
Shaen patient ‘begs’ to stay
An elderly resident of Shaen hospital has wrote a letter, through her daughter, begging not to be removed from the hospital.
Cycle trail ready for business
SIGNS have gone up all over South Laois over the past couple of weeks for the Laois cycle trail. These signs are part of the 48km cycle trail which is promoted by South Laois Tourism in conjunction with Laois Partnership.
Final chapter for Clonaslee library
THE ban on hiring public service staff is set to shut Clonaslee library when the local librarian retires next month.
Roundwood connection for Bacon painting
A FRANCIS BACON painting, expected to sell for more than €20 million when it goes under the hammer at Christie’s next month, enjoys a unique connection with Roundwood House. The titular subject of the ‘Portrait of Henrietta Moraes’ lived at Roundwood in the late 1970s and early ‘80s.
Are sports drinks really better? video
Three Kildare students say orange juice is better than energy drinks.
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Weather for Portlaoise
Wednesday 22 February 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: South west
