Laois courthouse has 'very detrimental effect' -Tánaiste Simon Harris

The Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris TD took a quick tour of Laois on Friday morning, October 30.

The Tánaiste visited Mountmellick Utd Soccer Club to hear about their incredible fundraising efforts and plans for expansion.

He also called to First Ireland Spirits in Abbeyleix, to Portlaoise Enterprise Centre and Laois Chamber Alliance.

Speaking to the Leinster Express / Laois Live, the Tánaiste praised the enterprise and community leaders in Laois, but agreed on the need for a new Portlaoise courthouse, the Portlaoise northern orbital route, and hinted at IDA jobs.

“I am very strongly hearing the need to move ahead with the development of Portlaoise courthouse. I’m hearing of the very detrimental effect that the courthouse is having on the main street.

“I really believe we can make meaningful progress on that in the short term, and I’m going to work to try and get that over the line.

“We do have a lot of capital in Government, I want to see this happen, and I think it would make a monumentally positive impact in Portlaoise, in terms of transforming the main street and also delivering a modern fit-for-purpose courthouse as well,” he said.

On the Portlaoise orbital route, he said that “many years before I was involved in politics, I think a disservice was done to this town.

“There was funding allocated, we won’t get into how it didn’t deliver, but it didn’t deliver. That now needs to be rectified as well.

“I believe we’re going to have significant capital in the time ahead to add additional projects in terms of our National Development Plan, and certainly deliver for Portlaoise, and indeed for Mountmellick.

“I was delighted to be in Mountmellick United football club today. Really taken by that club, by the amount of fundraising they have done, and taken by the number of girls playing soccer, it’s really good. And the brilliant plan they have. I know they’re going to be applying for a sports capital grant, and that the local school is going to benefit as well.

“A really good group of people, They had a big fundraising night, Mountmellick Goes To Hollywood and raised a serious amount of money. I was really struck by the community spirit and the volunteerism and I was delighted to be there.

“We’ve been very supportive of that club in terms of sports capital, and working with Willie Aird we’ll endeavour to be supportive once they get the application in,” the Tánaiste said.

The Leinster Express / Laois Live asked the Tánaiste what Enterprise Ireland and the IDA are doing to bring jobs to Laois, in response to the successful effort by Laois County Council in building J17 National Enterprise Park and creating jobs.

“First of all I want to pay tribute to Laois County Council and Portlaoise Enterprise Centre. That centre is amongst the very best I’ve seen in this country.

“We want to stop this idea of everyone having to sit in the car or even on the packed train to get to work. For quality of life, for regional development, for cost points of view.

“You are right, the IDA need to step up. I think there are some encouraging signs here, I think the fact that Portlaoise now has one of the largest IDA sites in the country, will potentially yield benefit in the time ahead.

“I think for a town like Portlaoise that’s close to Dublin, that’s close to many parts of the country, so centrally located, that there’s been an underperformance, an under delivery. I think that’s [a view] shared by everybody including the IDA, who would like to see us doing better here. I know from my engagement that the IDA are working hard in relation to this, and I won’t say any more on that,” the Tánaiste said.