Temporary Suspension of Enforcement Measures for Paid Parking Bye-Laws in County Laois
Further to previous notice in relation to the above, Laois County Council is extending the temporary suspension of the enforcement of parking bye-laws for the period Tuesday 19th May to Monday 29th June 2020 (both dates in inclusive).
In effect this provides that, in the period specified, there will be no monetary charges applicable to car parking in car parking areas operated by Laois County Council in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick.
This decision is taken to support the phased reopening of business and society as recently set out by Government, and as part of our local collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This temporary suspension relates to paid parking only and does not relate to other parking offences such as unauthorised parking on footpaths, in loading bays or in disabled parking bays, parking on double yellow lines etc. Enforcement of such offences will continue, as required, further to the provisions of Road Traffic Regulations and will be enforced by An Garda Síochána and Laois County Council Traffic Wardens.
Portarlington Civic Amenity Site is open today. The facility will revert to previous opening hours from tomorrow, Wednesday, 13th May 2020, i.e. 8.00am to 3.30pm Mon, Wed & Fri and 8.00am to 1.30pm on Saturdays.
Circulars PL 02/2020 of 29 March 2020 and PL 03/2020 of 17 April notified planning authorities
of the making of Orders by the Government under section 251A(4) of the Planning and
Development Act 2000, as amended, to the effect that the period of 29 March 2020 to 9 May
2020, inclusive, could be dis-applied in the calculation of any appropriate period, specified
period or other timeline in the Act or other related planning legislation. The two Orders already
signed thereby had the effect of extending the duration of all relevant periods and timelines
specified in planning legislation by a period of 42 days/ 6 weeks.
Arising from the further Government decision to extend the Covid-19 related restrictive
measures until 18 May 2020, the Government has now made a further Order under section
251A(4) of the Planning Act extending the duration of all relevant periods and timelines specified
in planning legislation by an additional 14 days, up to and including 23 May 2020. The three
Orders thereby have the combined effect of extending the relevant planning periods and
timelines by an aggregate of 56 days/ 8 weeks. A copy of the Government Order will be available
on the Department’s website early next week.
An updated FAQ document for the information of planning staff on the impacts and implications
of the extended time periods on various aspects of the planning system further to the making
of the new Order has been uploaded on the Department’s website. Any queries in relation to
this Circular Letter can be emailed to planning@housing.gov.ie
Laois County Council is pleased to advise that both the Triogue Linear Park and Pairc an Phobail Portlaoise will re-open on Monday 11th May 2020.
Play and other equipment in the parks will not be accessible in line with current social distancing guidelines.
We ask that when using the parks, you do so mindful of other amenity users and ensure that you continue to practice physical distancing and hygiene etiquette.
We ask for your cooperation and assistance in this regard.
The following housing projects have been designated as essential projects within the meaning of the COVID-19 health regulations and works on site have re-commenced.
Temporary Suspension of Enforcement Measures for Paid Parking Bye-Laws in County Laois
Further to previous notice in relation to the above, Laois County Council is extending the temporary suspension of the enforcement of parking bye-laws for the period Wednesday 6th May 2020 to Monday 18th May 2020 (both dates in inclusive). In effect this provides that, in the period specified, there will be no monetary charges applicable to car parking in car parking areas operated by Laois County Council in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick.
This decision is taken to support social distancing, reduce cash/coin transactions, recognises reduced demand for medium/long term car parking and is geared to assist in the local, collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This temporary suspension relates to paid parking only and does not relate to other parking offences such as unauthorised parking, on footpaths, in loading bays or in disabled parking bays, parking on double yellow lines etc. Enforcement of such offences will continue, as required, further to the provisions of Road Traffic Regulations.
On Friday 24th April, Minister Zappone launched an initiative for children –
Let’s Play Ireland a gov.ie resource to support children and young people’s play during this time.
Let’s Play Ireland is an online portal on Gov.ie, providing access to a range of play resources for children. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has worked with key experts across various sectors, Early Years, Education, Health, Local Authorities, Academic Partners in UCC and Mary Immaculate College, Creative Ireland, Tusla and others, in order to develop this resource.
Launching Let’s Play Ireland Minister Zappone said:
“Let’s Play Ireland is a government-led initiative which is designed to remind us all, young and old, of the fundamental importance of play. Playing is central to children’s physical, mental, social and emotional health and wellbeing. Children learn through play while developing resilience, flexibility and understanding of their world. Play in families enriches childhood and, right now, in the midst of these uncertain and troubling times, play is more important than ever. Play connects us with others and with the world around us. Play makes possible!
I want to stress that this initiative is by no means intended to create another pressure for busy parents. Rather the opposite, it intends to provide positive reassurance to parents about simply allowing their children to play and supporting a positive environment for this. The Let’s Play Ireland website will provide information on playing in a time of crisis, the right to play, ideas for play, playful families, screen time during the crisis and useful links and resources.”
Additional resources will be continually developed and added to the Let’s Play Ireland online portal on Gov.ie. Over the coming weeks the campaign will focus on different themes including Early Years; Storytelling; Play for Play’s Sake; Playful Learning; Play and Families; Play and Creativity and Play to Support Well Being
As well as activities for parents to enjoy with their children, the online resources also give tips on supporting children with their feelings, and ideas and activities for learning through play. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs hope the ideas on the website will encourage parents to support their children to use their imagination and own experiences to explore and make new discoveries – from role play, to creative arts, to light play, to malleable materials and many more. The website also includes ideas for how to use resources that can be found at home.
Over the coming weeks Laois County Council and other partner organisations will be promoting Let’s Play Ireland and highlighting local resources that have been put in place to encourage children’s play!
A new colouring book for children has been published, based on the “Gardening for Biodiversity” booklet by Juanita Brown also released by Laois Heritage Office this week. The book, featuring beautiful illustrations of garden wildlife by artist Barry Reynolds, will be fun for any youngsters interested in finding out more about the wildlife in their own local patch, now that we are all spending more time close to home.
Fans of illustration will know Barry has previously worked on the Oscar-nominated animated movie “The Secret of Kells”, and Sony Pictures Animation’s “Arthur Christmas”. He also provided the beautiful illustrations for Juanita Browne’s “The Great big Book of Irish Wildlife”.
Wildlife Art Workshop in Mountmellick Library as part of Heritage Week. Photograph: Alf Harvey.
The full “Gardening for Biodiversity colouring book” is available to download below, or individual pages can be downloaded by clicking the thumbnails.
Colouring Pages (click thumbnail for larger image)
Bird boxes
Blue tit
Bumble beeBatBird bathButterfly life cycleButterflyChaffinchFeeding the birdsFrogHedgehogHomes for batsMini beastsNewtRabbitRobinGarden for WildlifeWildlife pond
The Gardening for Biodiversity Book was produced with the assistance of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the funding scheme for the National Biodiversity Action Plan, with additional support from the Heritage Council.
New guide shows how to look after wildlife in your garden
A new booklet to assist everyone to help wildlife in their gardens, no matter how big or small, has been launched. The brainchild of Juanita Browne, the booklet was produced by Laois County Council with the assistance of Local Authority Heritage Officers across Ireland, with support from the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Heritage Council.
Taking a very practical approach, the book details projects to help wildlife of all kinds under a range of headings, with tasks suitable for everyone from the total beginner to the more ambitious DIY enthusiast. With clear instructions and step-by-step drawings by illustrator Barry Reynolds, the guide offers the gardener lots of options to help our biodiversity.
Anna and Sarah looking forward to trying out the projects in “Gardening for Biodiversity” in their garden. Their garden’s “wild corner” already contains ivy, bramble, hawthorn and dandelions that have been left to grow to provide food for pollinators.
As a companion to the book, a children’s book with kid-friendly information on garden wildlife and colouring pages using Barry Reynolds’ fun original illustrations has also been produced.
Both books are free to download (see below) and free hard copies can be ordered from Laois Heritage Office.
With increasing agricultural intensification, gardens in many areas can be an oasis for wildlife, and with small changes we can make them even better. The guide outlines actions that can be taken to improve gardens for birds, bees, butterflies, bats and more, and the good news is many of the steps that can be taken are really easy. Just leaving an “untidy” corner of your garden for nature, leaving roadside verges to grow naturally or allowing some of the gold star plants for biodiversity – dandelion, willow, bramble, clover, ivy – a spot in your garden can reap huge dividends for wildlife.
Garraíodóireacht ar son na Bithéagsúlachta
Tá an leabhar “Garraíodóireacht ar son na Bithéagsúlachta” foilsithe i nGaeilge anois, le tacaíocht ón bPlean Gníomhaíochta Náisiúnta Bithéagsúlachta. Is féidir an leabhar a íoslódáil saor in aisce anseo agus beidh cóipeanna crua ar fáil go luath.
Buíochas ó chroí le Seán Ó Daimhín, Oifigeach Seirbhísí Gaeilge le Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, as an leabhrán seo a aistriú go Gaeilge, agus le Joseph Gallagher, Oifigeach Oidhreachta, Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall, as a chabhair agus a thacaíocht.
Fuarthas maoiniú don treoirleabhar seo ón Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúilagus Oidhreachta trí Chiste Phlean Gníomhaíochta Bithéagsúlachta Náisiúnta na Seirbhíse Náisiúnta Páirceanna agus Fiadhúlra, le tacaíocht ó Líonra na nOifigeach Oidhreachta sna hÚdarás Áitiúla
The Gardening for Biodiversity book has now been published in Irish, The book can be downloaded for free here and hard copies will be available soon.
Our sincere thanks to Seán Ó Daimhín, Irish Officer with Donegal County Council, who translated the book, and to Joe Gallagher, Heritage Officer with Donegal County Council for all his assistance with this.
Funding for this guide has been received from the Department Housing, Local Government and Heritage through the National Biodiversity Action Plan of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, supported by Network of Heritage Officers in Local Authorities
Gardening for Biodiversity Films
A new series of short films has now been made to accompany the book – click below for more:
“Gardening for Biodiversity”, funded by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as part of an initiative to encourage projects under the National Biodiversity Plan, is available to download here.
All books were supported by the Department for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, through the National Biodiversity Action Plan. Funding for printing of hard copies was provided by the Local Authority Heritage Officer Network and the Heritage Council. Free hard copies may be ordered from your Local Authority Heritage Office.
Extension of Temporary Suspension of Enforcement Measures for Paid Parking Bye-Laws in County Laois
Further to previous notice in relation to the above, Laois County Council is extending the temporary suspension of the enforcement of parking bye-laws for the period Friday 17th April 2020 to Tuesday 5th May 2020 (both dates in inclusive). In effect this provides that, in the period specified, there will be no monetary charges applicable to car parking in car parking areas operated by Laois County Council in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick.
This decision is taken to support social distancing, reduce cash/coin transactions, recognises reduced demand for medium/long term car parking and is geared to assist in the local, collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This temporary suspension relates to paid parking only and does not relate to other parking offences such as unauthorised parking, on footpaths, in loading bays or in disabled parking bays, parking on double yellow lines etc. Enforcement of such offences will continue, as required, further to the provisions of Road Traffic Regulations and enforceable by Traffic Wardens and An Garda Síochána.
Gardening for Biodiversity Booklet
