<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">  <channel>    <title>Laois Live Laois County Council</title>    <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/topic/laois-county-council/rss</link>    <description>Visit now for the latest news direct from Laois Live Laois County Council and updated throughout the day</description>    <language>en-gb</language>    <copyright>Copyright 2026, Iconic Media Group Ltd</copyright>    <pubDate>Tue, 10 Nov 2026 05:36:43 GMT</pubDate>    <dc:date>2026-11-10T05:36:43Z</dc:date>    <dc:language>en-gb</dc:language>    <dc:rights>Iconic Media Group Ltd or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2026</dc:rights>    <atom:link rel="self" href="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/topic/laois-county-council/rss" type="application/rss+xml" />    <link rel="hub" href="https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" />        <item>          <title><![CDATA[Street cleaning in Laois to cost over €1 million next year]]></title>          <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/politics/street-cleaning-in-laois-to-cost-over-eur1-million-next-year-9340068</link>          <description><![CDATA[<p>Laois County Council passed its €140 million budget on Monday, November 9</p>]]></description>          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 20:05:31 GMT</pubDate>          <guid isPermaLink="false">9340068</guid>        <media:content url="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/11/09/16/03/nuno_lopes-rubbish-bin-976921.jpeg?width=1200&amp;auto=webp&amp;trim=5%2C0%2C5%2C0" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">            <media:credit>File photo: Pixabay.</media:credit>                    </media:content>          <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sandra Malone]]></dc:creator>          <dc:date>2026-11-09T20:05:31+00:00</dc:date>          <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>        </item>        <item>          <title><![CDATA[Plant machinery auctioneering company gets green light for huge outlet in Portlaoise ]]></title>          <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/business/plant-machinery-auctioneering-company-gets-green-light-for-huge-outlet-in-portlaoise-9340414</link>          <description><![CDATA[<p>Expansion described as  “significant and positive investment” in Portlaoise’s National Enterprise Park </p>]]></description>          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 19:10:07 GMT</pubDate>          <guid isPermaLink="false">9340414</guid>        <media:content url="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/11/09/17/08/16172120-library.jpeg?width=1200&amp;auto=webp&amp;trim=0%2C288%2C0%2C288" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">            <media:credit>Laois Live</media:credit>            <media:text><![CDATA[J17 National Enterprise Park, Portlaoise. -  (Laois Live)]]></media:text>        </media:content>          <dc:creator><![CDATA[By The Newsroom]]></dc:creator>          <dc:date>2026-11-09T19:10:07+00:00</dc:date>          <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[News]]></category>        </item>        <item>          <title><![CDATA[Public sector pay deal could impact Laois' 2027 Budget]]></title>          <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/politics/public-sector-pay-deal-could-impact-laois-2027-budget-9339832</link>          <description><![CDATA[<p>Laois County Council passed its €140 million budget for 2027</p>]]></description>          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 18:35:23 GMT</pubDate>          <guid isPermaLink="false">9339832</guid>        <media:content url="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/11/09/15/09/Screenshot-2026-07-07-160549.jpeg?width=1200&amp;auto=webp&amp;trim=10%2C0%2C60%2C0" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">            <media:credit>Áras an Chontae in Portlaoise.</media:credit>                    </media:content>          <dc:creator><![CDATA[Sandra Malone]]></dc:creator>          <dc:date>2026-11-09T18:35:23+00:00</dc:date>          <category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>        </item>        <item>          <title><![CDATA[Biggest ever €40.7m budget to run Laois in 2027 but inflation bites]]></title>          <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/business/biggest-ever-eur407m-budget-to-run-laois-in-2027-but-inflation-bites-9340145</link>          <description><![CDATA[<p>Laois County Council agrees its largest annual budget ever, but in face of increasing costs</p>]]></description>          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 17:55:04 GMT</pubDate>          <guid isPermaLink="false">9340145</guid>        <media:content url="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/11/09/16/08/FotoJet-(63).jpeg?width=1200&amp;auto=webp&amp;trim=0%2C1%2C0%2C0" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">            <media:credit>Alf Harvey</media:credit>            <media:text><![CDATA[Laois County Council Finance Director Julie Bergin who oversaw the drafting of its largest ever budget for 2027. -  (Alf Harvey)]]></media:text>        </media:content>          <dc:creator><![CDATA[Lynda Kiernan]]></dc:creator>          <dc:date>2026-11-09T17:55:04+00:00</dc:date>          <category><![CDATA[Business]]></category><category><![CDATA[News]]></category>        </item>        <item>          <title><![CDATA[In PICTURES: Laois fallen honoured  in Portlaoise on Remembrance Sunday]]></title>          <link>https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/video-and-photogallery/in-pictures-laois-fallen-honoured-in-portlaoise-on-remembrance-sunday-9339176</link>          <description><![CDATA[<p>Laois County Council Heritage Office Service of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday 2026 at the War Memorial Park in Portlaoise. </p>]]></description>          <pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2026 13:10:42 GMT</pubDate>          <guid isPermaLink="false">9339176</guid>        <media:content url="https://www.leinsterexpress.ie/jpim-static/image/2026/11/09/12/40/laois-service-of-remembrance-sunday-portlaoise-2026-collage-hero-image.jpeg?width=1200&amp;auto=webp&amp;trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0" type="image/jpeg" medium="image">            <media:credit>Pics: Alf &amp; Julie Harvey</media:credit>            <media:text><![CDATA[Laois County Council Heritage Office Service of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday 2026 at the War Memorial Park in Portlaoise. -  (Pics: Alf &amp; Julie Harvey)]]></media:text>        </media:content>          <dc:creator><![CDATA[Conor Ganly]]></dc:creator>          <dc:date>2026-11-09T13:10:42+00:00</dc:date>          <category><![CDATA[Pictures &amp; Videos]]></category><category><![CDATA[News]]></category>        </item>  </channel></rss>