Two Laois towns approved for Christmas gift from Town and Village Fund

Two Laois towns have been granted a huge Christmas bonus from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

Mountmellick and Ballinakill have been approved for €644,000 in regeneration grants to improve public parking and green spaces, announced on December 22.

Laois County Council had applied for both the funds.

In Ballinakill, €297,000 is going for a project to regenerate the Market Town Square and improve the public realm. 

In Mountmellick there are two pots of money awarded. €297,000 has been granted for the car park behind Mountmellick Community Arts Centre. 

It will be used to enhance the existing informal carpark to support the increasing number of visitors to local facilities.

Works will include resurfacing, EV Charger ducting, space marking, pedestrian safety enhancements and a widened entrance and exit.

The carpark also serves funerals at Moloney's undertakers, and Mountmellick Men's Shed who are based there.

Another €50,000 is approved to write up a masterplan for Smiths Field, and under utilised green space in the centre of the town.

Laois TD Sean Fleming welcomed the funding for the county, speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"I am pleased to announce that Mountmellick and Ballinakill have been approved for funding under the Government’s Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

"The purpose of this scheme is to stimulate Town and Village centres, economic and social regeneration and future development of these areas.

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"I want to thank the communities in Mountmellick and Ballinakill and Laois County Council for their work in preparing these funding applications which has now been approved by Government.

"I look forward to Ballinakill and Mountmellick progressing with these much-needed improvement works in their areas in 2026," Dep Fleming said.