Motorists are being advised the road will remain closed overnight | FILE PHOTO
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12 Oct 2025
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12 Oct 2025
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The 2024 General Election dominated headlines in November, with voting taking place on Friday November 29.
Twelve candidates in Laois spent the month of November canvassing across the county.
Candidates included Willie Aird (Fine Gael), Pauline Flanagan (Independent), Sean Fleming (Fianna Fáil), Mary Hande (Aontú), Jason Lynch (Independent), Maria McCormack (Sinn Féin), Ken Mooney (People Before Profit-Solidarity), Aisling Moran (Independent), Elaine Mullally (Independent), Rosie Palmer (Green), Austin Stack(Fianna Fáil), and Brian Stanley (Independent).
Taoiseach Simon Harris paid a visit to Portlaoise on November 1.
The Taoiseach was accompanied by Minster for Justice Helen McEntee, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Laois Minister of State Sean Fleming and Limerick Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell.
Local politicians in Laois came out to support the turning of the sod, and accompanied the Taoiseach on a walk around Portlaoise.
The Taoiseach paid a visit to Mullhall's Supervalu in Portlaoise town centre, and took pictures with Laois locals.
That same day, Judge Keenan Johnson jailed Laois woman Margaret Bergin for two years for fraudulently claiming over €270k for nearly 30 years.
The accused pleaded guilty to a number of sample charges of theft and larceny relating to the claiming of her late father-in-law's pension over a period in excess of 28 years, which resulted in a loss of €271,046.20 to the state.
Each of the offences carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
Mrs Bergin's father-in-law, the late John Bergin, died over 30 years ago in November of 1993. It appears that when the late Mr. Bergin died, no effort was made to register his death.
"Taking into account the mitigation outlined and in particular the plea of guilt, the remorse of the accused, and the efforts made at restitution, I prepare to reduce that sentence to five years and six months," Judge Johnson said.
"Finally, I would like to say that it is with great regret that I feel duty-bound to send a 73-year-old grandmother to jail in this case."
Homebase in Laois confirmed in November that the Portlaoise shop was bought by The Range UK homeware retail chain.
The Leinster Express / Laois Live received confirmation that the Portlaoise home improvement store in Portlaoise Retail Park, is among two of the eight Irish Homebase stores bought up by The Range.
Homebase staff in Portlaoise have been assured of no job losses, with no date given yet as to when the shop takeover and rebranding will take place.
Kirby Group Engineering officially opened a manufacturing facility at Junction 17 National Enterprise Park.
Making the announcement in November, the company said the €8m development is set to create 50 jobs and will be key to the continuing growth of the company in producing components for projects across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe.
Kirby says it employs over 1800 people and has developed a reputation in the life sciences, data centre, industrial, power and renewables sectors. The Limerick-headquartered firm also claims to be on track to record revenue of more than €700m in 2024.
The company says over 20 people are already working at the Portlaoise facility and Kirby expects that figure to reach 50 by the end of 2024.
In November, the heartbroken parents of a teenage boy who died in a crash described racing quad bikes as “lethal weapons” in the hands of children.
Carmel and James Brown’s 15 year-old son David died when a racing quad bike driven by his cousin and friend John (Johnny) Phelan went out of control and crashed at Ballyshaneduff, Ballybrittas on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
Laois Coroner Eugene O’Connor is drawing up recommendations for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and Health and Safety Authority (HSA) on racing quad bike use following David’s inquest in the Coroners Court in Portlaoise on Thursday, November 28.
KWD Recycling, a Kerry-based waste company, is understood to be the preferred bidder to buy Bord na Móna Recycling. The Sunday Times reported that the publicly owned Bord na Móna is to sell its waste wing for €55 million.
Apart from having a significant presence in the Laois waste market, Bord na Móna also has planning permission for a anerobic digester near Portlaoise.
The company wants to covert 80,000 tonnes of commercial food waste, brown bin waste and animal waste to create gas for power generation and fertiliser at a site off the road to Mountrath on the edge of a Coolnamona bog.
The biogas produced would be connected to the national grid in Portlaoise.
The Route 816 Portarlington Connector to Kildare Village was discontinued by Dublin Coach, resulting in outrage from Portarlington locals.
The Big Green Bus, operated by Dublin Coach, provides 16 services Monday to Sunday on the Route.
The company said: "As a result of declining passenger numbers, Route 816 continues to be uneconomic to operate.
"It is with regret that we wish to confirm we will be discontinuing this service effective from November 30th 2024."
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