The Local Government Operational Procurement Centre (LGOPC) has published a new Request to Tender on www.etenders.gov.ie (eTenders) to establish a Dynamic Purchasing System for Building Contractors for Minor Building Works on Residential Properties.
When established, Local Authorities will run Supplementary Request for Tenders (mini-competitions) with the Economic Operators admitted to the DPS.
To access the DPS tender documents, please ensure you register on the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) website www.etenders.gov.ie and search for this tender using the System ID number shown in the Table below.
All Applications for admittance to the DPS must be completed electronically on www.etenders.gov.ie.
The application process on eTenders will remain open after the initial application closing date and will continue to remain open to new and previously unsuccessful applications over the term of the DPS.
Should you wish to learn more about the DPS, please contact the LGOPC Helpdesk at 066 718 3734 or by email at eproc@kerrycoco.ie.
Competition Name
Publishing
Date
Initial Application Closing
Date & Time
DPS Established
Publishing Website
Building Contractors for Minor Building Works on Residential Properties (Dynamic Purchasing System)
As a mark of respect to the late Private Seán Rooney, a book of condolences will be opened at the offices of Áras an Chontae, Portlaoise from 3.00 p.m. today, December 21st 2022 for all Members of the public who may wish to sign it.
Laois County Council would like to express deepest condolences to Private Rooney’s family and friends at this very difficult time.
An online Book of Condolence to allow the people of Laois to extend their heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the late Private Seán Rooney has been opened.
All messages of sympathy will be printed and forwarded in a Book of Condolence to the Rooney family.
Start date of consultation: 30/11/2022
End date of consultation: 28/12/2022
Laois County Council is intending to enter into a Data Sharing Agreement under the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019.
The proposed agreement, a Data Sharing Agreement between Enterprise Ireland and all Local Authorities (including Laois County Council) will be available for public consultation at: www.gov.ie/consultations/DSA/ for a period of 28 days from 30/11/2022 to 28/12/2022.
The public are invited to make submissions by email to
consultations.dsa@per.gov.ie
Please include the full Data Sharing Agreement name “EILAS 018/211122 DSA for LEO Suite of Services Data” in the subject line of your email. Only submissions made to this email address will be accepted.
Once the public consultation period has expired submissions cannot be accepted.
Documents for reference are:
*(Please note that this PDF document also includes a Data Protection Officer (DPO) statement and a Data Privacy Impact Assessment (DPIA) where appropriate).
The Government’s Housing For All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland proposed a new tax to activate vacant land for residential purposes as a part of the Pathway to Increasing New Housing Supply.
The Residential Zoned Land Tax was introduced in the Finance Act 2021. The process to identify land to which the tax applies is now underway and the tax will be payable from 2024.
The objective of the tax is to activate land that is serviced and zoned for residential use or mixed use, including residential use, in order to increase housing supply and to ensure regeneration of vacant and idle lands in urban locations. These locations have been identified within statutory land use plans as being appropriate locations for housing and they have benefitted from investment in the key services to support the delivery of housing. 1990.
This Laois County Council promotional booklet gives you an insight into the work carried out by Laois County Council. This booklet shows the many different services and projects that Laois County Council provides with the help of your Local Property Tax, Rates and other income streams.
The work and achievements of Laois County Council are enhanced by working in partnership with a range of stakeholders and communities. Enjoy the read.
On 16 November 2022, Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, announced increased funding for both the Built Heritage Investment Scheme and Historic Structures Fund in 2023. The Built Heritage Investment Scheme 2023 has been allocated €4.5m, up 12.5% on 2022. The Historic Structures Fund 2023 has also been allocated €4.5m, also up 12.5% on 2022
The Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Structures Fund will support owners and custodians of protected structures in every local authority area across the country. Together, the schemes will assist hundreds of small-scale, labour-intensive projects as well as larger-scale projects to repair and conserve our historic built environment. These projects will also give significant support to local jobs in conservation and traditional skills.
The funding announced by Minister Noonan includes a total of €4.5 million for the Built Heritage Investment Scheme, and €4.5 million for the Historic Structures Fund.
The 2023 Historic Structures Fund will include two streams first introduced in 2021: one for vernacular structures and another for historic shopfronts.
The vernacular stream will provide total funding of €150,000 for conservation repairs and small capital works to eligible vernacular structures – structures built through traditional local methods (see note below) – that are not listed in local authority Records of Protected Structures or otherwise legally protected.
The shopfront stream, which runs in conjunction with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, includes shared funding of €50,000 for the conservation of shopfronts in the Irish language.
The 2023 Built Heritage Investment Scheme will include ring-fenced funding of €500,000 for conservation repairs to eligible historic thatched structures to maximise the availability of financial assistance to such owners, helping them offset other costs.
Applications are now open and will run until 24 January 2023. Details of the schemes and how to apply are available on all local authority websites and the Department’s website.
A major new publication on the Rock of Dunamase “THE HIGH FORTRESS: A Guide to the Rock of Dunamase” will be launched on Wednesday 23rd November at the Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise.
The book – an initiative of Laois County Council with the support of the Heritage Council – is published by Wordwell Books, edited by Peigín Doyle, with contributions from archaeologists Brian Hodkinson and Dr Sharon Greene, early medieval historian Dr Matthew Stout and geologist and ecologist Dr John Feehan.
Archaeologist Stephen Mandal from the Irish Heritage School leading a field trip at the Rock of Dunamase looking at the geology, landscape, archaeology and history as part of Know Your Locality. Supported by Creative Ireland Laois as part of the Creative Ireland Programme (2017-2022) in partnership with Laois County Council. Picture: Alf Harvey.
Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Thomasina Connell said “As Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council I am proud to be associated with this wonderful book on the Rock of Dunamase. It will be a must-read for anyone exploring this fortified crag or learning about the history of Laois. The book is the result of a collaborative process between the Laois Heritage Forum and the Authors, under the expert guidance of Wordwell Books. I’d like to thank all involved and congratulate all the contributing authors and the editor on a truly ground-breaking publication. The continued involvement of the Heritage Council in supporting and developing all aspects of the heritage of Laois must be especially acknowledged.”
While we may not know for sure who actually built, and who later destroyed, the fortifications on Dunamase, the fortress has been a striking presence, a landmark in the skyline of South County Laois since the ninth century. In this beautifully illustrated book with over one hundred vibrant images and reconstruction drawings, The High Fortress: A Guide to the Rock of Dunamase, sees experts sift the evidence to tell the story of Dunamase and its surrounding territory from prehistoric times to the eighteenth century, in a clear, accessible way.
Some of the critical tides in Irish history have ebbed and flowed around the sheer, limestone Rock of Dunamase. The ruins of an Anglo-Norman fortress built over an Early Christian Irish dún, it was fought over, occupied, fortified, reinforced, seized, abandoned, and blown up. Today, silhouetted against the Laois skyline, the stark grandeur of the ruined fastness of Dunamase has the power still to stir our imaginations.
Plundered by Viking raiders in 843AD, it became the dowry of Aoife, the bartered daughter of Diarmait Mac Murchada, when she married Richard De Clare, Strongbow, as the price for the Anglo-Norman invader restoring Diarmait as king of Leinster.
Fortified by a murder hole, arrow slits, portcullis, drawbridge and high protecting walls, the struggles between Gaelic Irish versus invading forces played out around the fortress of Dunamase for centuries. Weapons and armour, buckles and spurs, gaming pieces and arrowheads, Gaelic metalwork and medieval coins, all unearthed in excavations, bear witness to its role as a focal point for critical events in Irish history.
The book will be for sale in local bookshops and at wordwellbooks.com. The launch starts at 7.15pm on Wednesday 23rd November at the Midlands Park Hotel Portlaoise, and all are welcome.
About the authors
Edited by Peigin Doyle, author and journalist whose specialist areas are history, heritage, and archaeology. Contributors include Dr John Feehan, author of Laois, an Environmental History and The Geology of Laois and Offaly;Dr Sharon Greene, research archaeologist and the editor of Archaeology Ireland magazine; Dr Matthew Stout, author of Early Medieval Ireland 431–1169 and archaeologist Brian Hodkinson who has directed key Irish excavations such as the Rock of Cashel, Nenagh Castle and on Dunamase itself.
About the book
THE HIGH FORTRESS: A Guide to the Rock of Dunamase Edited by Peigin Doyle
Published by Wordwell (November 2022)
Funded by the Heritage Council and Laois County Council. An action of the Laois Heritage and Biodiversity Strategy 2021-2025
100pp, paperback. Lavishly illustrated with full colour images and reconstruction drawings.
Laois Taste is hosting an event in the Pantry Café and Walled Garden on Sunday 6th November to celebrate Laois Food & Drink. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to find out more about Laois Taste and meet some of the Laois Food and Drink producers. The menu is being especially designed for the day to showcase Laois food & drink products. The Pantry Café and Walled Garden is currently the only café in Laois which is a member of the Laois Taste provenance scheme. So why not enjoy your brunch/lunch on Sunday and support Laois Taste. #laoistaste#lovelaois#supportlocal
Calling all Cafes, Restaurants, Hotels, & Food & Drink Retailers.
Do you wish to support Local food & drink producer’s in Laois? If so, why not avail of this fantastic opportunity to benefit from the growing trends of consumers looking for and spending more on locally sourced food and which could benefit your business by:
– Increased visitor spend
– Attract new customers who are interested in where their food is produced
– Increased customer satisfaction
– Raise the profile of your business
– Benefit the local economy
For further information click here or call Laois County Council Business Support Unit on 0578664000 or email businesssupport@laoiscoco.ie
If you are having works done to your house or rubbish taken away, please ensure that you are using a registered collector and that they have a valid permit.
It is illegal to give your waste to someone who does not have a permit and you may be liable for a fine and / or court appearance.
Unfortunately in some cases items taken from households are being dumped illegally around the County and not being disposed off in the correct manner.
If you have any information in relation to Illegal Waste Collectors or illegal dumping please feel free to report it on our Freephone CONFIDENTIAL Litter Hotline 1800 32 32 30
