Category: News

The Estate Management Team at Laois County Council are excited to announce the 2024 Best Estates Competition for Laois County Council Housing Estates and Tenants.  There is a chance for one estate to win €1,500 for their Residents’ Association! There are thousands in prize money to be won for estates and for individual tenants.  The competition is open to housing estates where 20% of the houses are in ownership of Laois County Council and Laois County Council tenants.

Nomination Form is available at  https://laois.ie/departments/housing/estate-management/

Staidéar Neamhbheo Still Life

An exhibition of work by Paddy Critchley, and the adult summer arts group, at the Laois Arthouse, Stradbally.

Opening: Friday 5^th July at 6pm

Exhibition Runs until Friday 26^th July 2024

 

Laois County Council Arts Office and the Laois Arthouse, Stradbally are delighted to present an exhibition of work by Paddy Critchley with participants from the annual adult summer arts programme 2024.

Following four-days with Paddy, focusing on drawing and painting from life, the group will present an exhibition titled Staidéar Neamhbheo Still Life at the Laois Arthouse, opening on Friday 5^th July at 6pm.

The Laois Arthouse welcomes all who wish to attend the exhibition opening. The exhibition will be open to the public until Friday 26^th July.

On Monday 15^th July at 7pm, Paddy Critchley will be in conversation with Jock Nichol about his current exhibition, Staidéar Neamhbheo Still Life and the direction he is going. All are welcome to attend, and admission is free. Refreshments will be served. Entrance is through the Laois Arthouse entrance on the Timahoe Road, Stradbally Co Laois. R32KWX3.

Paddy Critchley is an artist from Portlaoise, Co Laois. Since graduating from Limerick School of Art and Design in 2021, he has exhibited at The Hunt Museum and Limerick City Gallery of Art and the Dunamaise Arts Centre. Paddy has work in the Limerick City Gallery of Art and the Hunt Museum’s permanent collection. He was the recipient of the De Veres Art Award for Work of Distinction at the 191st Annual RHA Exhibition for the painting Nature Morte (After Beckett). His practice is a constant interrogation of his environment. His political ideologies towards his environment shape how he sees the world and informs his practice. Paddy is conscious that in an ever increasingly chaotic world, where money and power rules, he wishes to shine a light on the ordinary person and the life he lives and knows. Paddy Critchley aims to show different voices withing the social and economic backgrounds of his peers and their environments, these take the form on intimate portraits and still lives reminiscent of the American artist Alice Neel, who has been a substantial influence on Paddy’s practice. Paddy is also a painter and decorator and interested in the politics of this trade.

Adult Summer Arts Programme

Artist Paddy Critchley facilitated the Annual Adult Summer Arts Programme in 2024, in the beautiful surroundings of the Malthouse, Stradbally, Co. Laois.  The programme entitled Staidéar Neamhbheo Still Life comprised of a four-day course from Tuesday 2^nd to Friday 5^th July followed by an exhibition of work at the Laois Arthouse Stradbally.

Over the four-days, Paddy shared his work methods and experience to assist and guide the students.  This four-day programme focused on drawing and painting from life. This will primarily be a series of still life workshops in which they draw form still life compositions curated by Paddy, and progress to making acrylic paintings.

 

For further information see www.laois.ie or contact the Arts Office artsoff@laoiscoco.ie  / 057 8664109.

 

 

Call for Expression of Interest – Appointment of Chairperson to the new Local Community Safety Partnership for County Laois

 

Laois County Council invites expressions of interest for consideration for appointment as Chairperson of a new Local Community Safety Partnership which is be established in each Local Authority area in line with the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024.

 

The Closing date for receipt of Expressions of Interest is Monday 22^nd July 2024 at 5pm.

 

Further Information is available by contacting dce@laoiscoco.ie  or by clicking on the link below

 

Call for Expressions of Interest – Appointment of Chairperson to the new Local Community Safety Partnerships for County Laois

Laois County Council are seeking quotations for Provision of Services for Coordination of Public Art Projects in Rathdowney and Errill.

The closing date for expressions of interest is 4pm on 12 July.

Quotations to be submitted by email to Muireann Ní Chonaill , Arts Officer at arts@laoiscoco.ie

Request-for-Quotation-Services-RFQ-Public-Art-Co-ordinator

Overview

Transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Public Consultation – Mona Offshore Wind Project, located in the Irish Sea approximately 28.2km from the Anglesey coastline

Summary

On 7 November 2022, the Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, received a transboundary EIA screening statement in relation to the proposed Mona Offshore Wind Project, which was conducted on behalf of the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State at the pre-application stage. The transboundary screening process identified potential transboundary issues for Ireland relating to impacts on marine mammals, commercial fisheries, shipping and navigation and other sea users.

Subsequently, on 30 April 2024, the United Kingdom’s Planning Inspectorate (PINS) wrote to the Minister to invite Ireland to participate in transboundary EIA consultation as the Examining Authority had accepted for examination the planning application for the proposed development. This public consultation is being held in accordance with article 132 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 – 2024.

Additionally, following the acceptance for examination of the Development Consent Order application this proposal was also re-screened for possible transboundary effects on the 30^th April 2024 with this transboundary screening process identifying potential significant transboundary issues for Ireland relating to impacts on shipping and navigation.

Why is this consultation being undertaken?

In accordance with the provisions of the 1991 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context (“the Espoo Convention”), transboundary States are required to engage in transboundary consultation, including with members of the public, in respect of projects likely to have significant effects on the environment of neighbouring States as part of the environmental impact assessment of a proposed development. For this purpose, the transboundary State in whose territory the project is intended to be carried out is required to send to the affected State, no later than when informing its own public, a description of the project and any available information on its possible transboundary impact.

As noted above, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage recently received information in the form of a letter of notification dated 30 April 2024 from PINS, relating to an application for development consent for the proposed Mona Offshore Wind Project that is now in the pre-examination stage of their development consent order process.

The proposed development is comprised of (but not limited to) an offshore wind farm array located in the east Irish Sea, 28.2km from the Anglesey coastline; offshore transmission infrastructure extending to landfall on the north coast of Wales; and an onshore transmission infrastructure extending from landfall to the onshore National Grid substation at Bodelwyddan.

The UK Secretary of State has determined that the proposed development requires an environmental impact assessment and consequently they have conducted a transboundary EIA screening. This screening exercise determined that the proposed development may have transboundary environmental impacts in Ireland. The transboundary issues screened in include significant impacts on shipping and navigation.

Screening Assessment

The letter of 30 April 2024 provides details of where further information on the proposed development can be found on the PINS website – see also link provided under “How to participate” below.

How to Participate

All documentation related to the development consent application for the proposed development, including additional or amending documentation accepted at the discretion of the PINS, is available to view on its website at:

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/wales/mona-offshore-wind-farm/?ipcsection=overview

Members of the public may wish to visit the Dublin City Council public consultation portal to view correspondence from the PINS, digital copies of extracts from the applicant’s Environmental Statement; associated documents and links provided by the PINS to the full Environmental Statement and all other documentation relating to the development consent application for the proposed development.

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/planning/mona-off-shore-windfarm

The public consultation notice should also be available to view in the office of the Planning Section of each local authority nationwide during office hours, by appointment if required.

A copy of these documents are available for inspection, or purchase at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, during office hours at the office of each local authority nationwide. Links to all documents will also be made available online by each local authority. Please contact your local authority for further details.

Making submissions or observations

Submissions or observations should be made directly to the Planning Inspectorate UK at Monaoffshorewindproject@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

Deadlines for submissions or observations

The public consultation period is open from 12^th June 2024. The deadline for the receipt of written submissions or observations under this transboundary consultation process is close of business on 17^th July 2024 at the latest. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will not accept submissions or observations in relation to the project.

Documents

Documents are available via the Dublin City Council Website Portal.

https://consultation.dublincity.ie/planning//mona-off-shore-windfarm

link below

Transboundary Environmental Public Consultation – Mona Off Shore Windfarm – Dublin City Council – Citizen Space

Terms and Conditions

Not applicable – submissions are made directly to the competent authority, therefore neither the Department nor any planning authorities will be receiving submissions. On that basis, there should be no GDPR concerns

Contact details for submissions or observations

Any queries in relation to this transboundary EIA consultation should be directed to Dublin City Council. See contact details below:

Greg Bryan, Administrative Officer

Planning & Property Development Department, Planning Administration,

Block4, Floor 3, Civic Offices,

Wood Quay, Dublin 8

T: 01-2223108 E: greg.bryan@dublincity.ie

 

 

WHAT’S ON?

Oisín will host a FREE family workshop where he will do live drawing demonstrating how to capture ideas visually in an engaging way.

He will discuss his journey as a writer, illustrator, cartoonist, and his interest in climate action.

Suitable for families with children 7+

 

WHO IS OISÍN?

Oisín McGann is a best-selling, award-winning writer and illustrator.

He has produced dozens of books for all ages, including twelve novels and recently the non-fiction book A Short, Hopeful Guide to Climate Change.

 

HOW TO BOOK?

Scan the QR code in poster above             OR          call Portlaoise Library: 0578622333         OR          email: portlaoiselibrary@laoiscoco.ie