Laois low carbon business support centre about to open its doors

Portlaoise is poised to be the national centre of low carbon expert business advice, with the imminent opening of a new Government backed building.

The Cube in the heart of the historic Portlaoise town centre, is a shining glass building that is hoped to be a shining example of sustainable business excellence in the transition to a low carbon economy.

The architect designed 10,000 sq ft office had lain incomplete for many years, suffering some vandalism.

However Laois County Council sought and won grants to complete the privately owned building and then buy it as a turnkey development, to tackle town centre dereliction and create and support Laois jobs.

Work began in September 2021. It was expected to take under six months, but is now almost complete, according to Laois County Council CEO John Mulholland.

"It will be finished in a week to ten days," Mr Mulholland announced, at the October 24 meeting of Laois County Council.

Cllr Aisling Moran had tabled a motion to the meeting, requesting itemised costings for the project, along with the new Portlaoise Library and Junction 17 National Enterprise Park.

"I will have that information to you in two or three weeks. The information was provided to you before," Mr Mulholland said.

"The Cube will be finished in a week or 10 days. There was no over-run on expenditure. A full account will be sent to each elected member," he said.

Cllr Moran was dissatisfied that the costs were not furnished at the meeting.

"The Cube is now something completely different. I know people who approached about it but were told it's not ready. I'm asking that you provide the information by the end of the week, I think you have ample time," she said.

The council said a year ago in reply to a previous motion by Cllr Moran, that it had spent €300,000 by that time to start up the company. The council has grant approval of €2.2m from Enterprise Ireland under the Regional Enterprise Development Fund to create the centre. 

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A €1.6 million contract was signed a year ago to buy The Cube in turnkey condition, and sell it to a new associated company of Laois County Council called Portlaoise Innovation Centre DAC (The Cube).  A company director was also hired to attract businesses to rent spaces, and provide virtual services connected with a low carbon economy. 

The Cube is aimed to be "a Midlands-based national centre of excellence focussed on facilitating economic growth, innovation and education in the Low Carbon and Renewables industry."

it is expected to be a "globally attractive location for the establishment of sustainable focussed business, through a world class cluster of skilled personnel, sustainable innovation development, design and infrastructural capabilities that will provide regional competitive advantage in the Low Carbon economy of the future", and "ensure Ireland is future proofed to benefit from movement to Carbon Neutrality".