Laois County Council Cathaoirleach, Cllr Paschal McEvoy, with CEO John Mulholland and LCC Housing SPC Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley with Presentation Sisters at the Convent site in Portlaoise.
John Mulholland took up the top job in Laois County Council in 2015 at a time of challenge but also of opportunity.
The worst of the property crash recession had passed but austerity had not ended. However, light could be seen at the end of the tunnel and central Government had begun to loosen the purse strings.
Laois went into the recession as one of the fastest-growing counties in Ireland with Portlaoise leading the way. Fortunately, infrastructural investment during the boom had meant that growth and development could be kick-started quickly if the right leadership was in place to respond with agility to opportunities.
Local Government is key to any county making progress but would have a key role in emerging from recession. The effectiveness of a council for a county depends on many factors but leadership is key. Given the configuration of local authorities in the 21st century, the Chief Executive is a central ingredient in aims being reached.
Mr Mulholland, who has served some 45 years local Government, stepped into this role in 2015 knowing the constraints that were still in place on spending but chose to focus on what could be achieved at a council where he had worked previously in the 1990s.
He said his initial experience gave him a good sense of where Laois was at nine years ago. He identifies the presence of the motorways and a water supply in Portlaoise as key adantages for town and county when he took over.
He says he also identified three general areas where progress could be made: economic development, housing and regeneration of towns and villages.
“That has been my focus and I was very fortunate because funding from Government has enabled me and this council to produce and deliver in those areas,” he said.
He is particularly proud of the housing results.
“Never has the council produced as much housing with its partners,” he said.
This he said has led to a big decline in housing lists.
“That is a great result but it is all due to the loosening of the purse strings by the Government and resourcing local authorities,” he said.
He adds that achieving this involved planning and making a convincing case to the Government and dealing with four Ministers competing for resources available.
“We had a very good strategy from 20016 on and were able to get on with the show and much credit is due to the council's housing team who have been superb,” he said.
Being ready to go with housing plans has meant that targets set by Government have been achieved and exceeded more successfully than any other local authority
He reserved praise for councillors who agreed that the council would not drag its feet in advancing housing.
Mr Mulholland also highlighted the council's role in facilitating private house building in advancing their projects without council caused delays at the outset.
Pictured: Cllr Padraig Fleming, Minister Sean Fleming TD; John Mulholland, Chief Executive LCC; Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Mr Darragh O’Brien T.D. and Angela McEvoy, Director of Services LCC on a visit to 87 homes at Mount Stewart, Stradbally Road, Portlaoise.
He said economic development is essential.
“It is a must for Laois and I cannot understand why of all the counties in the country, how Laois has faired so poorly over many decades for inward development particularly IDA type opportunties,” he said.
However, under Mr Mulholland, the council has significantly boosted the county's attractiveness to businesses and job creation. Central to this has been the development of the J17 National Enterprise Park in Portlaoise.
He oversaw the purchase of 80 acres beside the M7 and followed through by driving the delivery of roads, energy supply and other infrastructure.
The first client was Glanbia followed by other companies including the Mountmellick-based Midlands Steel.
“What you have there now is a fully serviced site in a prime location,” he said.
When combined with the IDA Business Park, he believes Portlaoise is now one of the best places for investment. He said work is also underway to make the former Arlington site in Portarlington capable of attracting businesses to locate there. MORE BELOW PICTURE.
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Laois Taste Food & Drink 2023 Awards Celebration at Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery in Stradbally were Liz Kennedy (Co-ordinator Laois Taste), John Mulholland (Chief Executive, Laois Co Council), Helen Gee (G's Gourmet Jams) and Darina Allen (Balllymaloe). Pic: Michael Scully
He acknowledges that there is more to be done but jobs are needed to augment the population growth of the county.
Reflecting on the work done to attract investment Mr Mulholland said he ‘had no other option’ and the council had the powers to take a lead role.
Underpinning housing and economic development Mr Mulholland also highlights the advances in social infrastructure in helping communities through the development and delivery of community amenities.
He identifies public parks, walkways cycleways, libraries, community centres, Portlaoise's Cultural Quarter and Portarlington's Market House as examples.
He said Market House will be the kind of boost that Port needs while he is also very proud of the Cultural Quarter in Portlaoise.
He views these landmark developments as part of work on his goal to regenerate the county's towns and villages.
Mr Mulholland progress has been made right around Laois on this front, particularly in Portlaoise because of its importance for all of Laois.
“The county town is critical for any county. Let's not cod ourselves. If you don't have a good county town the county loses out. There has to be a magnet where there is a critical mass of people,” he said. MORE BELOW PICTURE.
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Pictured at the Laois County Council Community and Voluntary Awards 2023 Members of the Laois Pride group accepting the Social Inclusion Runner-up Award from Chief Executive of Laois Co Council, John Mulholland. Photo: Michael Scully
While he is clear about the need to focus on Portlaoise, he insists that rural communities have been helped. He instances the recently announced €3.3m for Borris-in-Ossory courthouse as an example of the investment in rural regeneration. He references, Durrow, Abbeyleix, Killeshin as examples. He said Mountmellick and Mountrath are also being helped. He agrees that the Council must be on the ground helping communities.
“I think leadership is important and a sense of cohesion and bringing people together. We won't always have all the answers or the money but we will try like hell to provide betterment in communities,” he said.
He concedes that he was in the right place at the right time when he took over in Laois but looks back on his time with pride and as he puts it “ has no regrets”.
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