Green light to convert Laois nursing home into Catholic broadcasting studio
Planning permission has been granted for the old Rosetta Nursing Home in Portlaoise
The green light has been given for the former Rosetta Nursing Home in Portlaoise to be transformed into a studio for a Catholic broadcasting organisation.
Shalom Media Europe CLG purchased the 19th century building on the Dublin Road in Portlaoise in 2025. The nursing home has been closed for several years.
Shalom Media is a Catholic organisation and recognised charity that has its own TV station and produces mass and religious documentaries in Portlaoise.
In December 2025, they submitted the planning application to Laois County Council to redevelop the old Rosetta Nursing Home, now Shalom World, into a base for its Catholic broadcasts.
The organisation plans to change the use of the former nursing home to a part office and part domestic dwelling house as well as change the name on the front entrance pier from Rosetta to Shalom World.
The original building of the Rosetta House is a protected structure, and no physical changes are planned for any part of the building. Shalom Media intends to change the use of the existing bedrooms to offices as well as a podcast room and studios.
The original layout to the Rosetta Nursing Home was two dwelling houses on the site, the main house and former coach house, and these were linked with an extension. The main body of the house will become the Shalom World offices and studios and the remainder of the property will be returned to a domestic dwelling house.
Just last week, Portlaoise parish priest, Monsignor John Byrne, applied for planning permission to convert the former coach house building at Rosetta House into two semi-detached, two-storey dwellings.
The coach house formerly belonged to the adjoining Rosetta House but it has recently been acquired by Portlaoise Parish. The proposed redevelopment of the coach house is intended to create dwellings for any clergy members appointed to the parish or visiting clergy.
The studios will have two full-time staff members on site.
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