What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 4pm

Connect Laois

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Connect Laois

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We are the local development company for Co. Laois. Our aim is to support social, enterprise and rural development across the County.

We are a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity (RCN: 20070045).

06/11/2026

The Rural Social Scheme provides part-time or low-income farmers and fishers with an opportunity to earn a supplementary income by working for communities across Laois.
Participants work 19.5 hours per week on the scheme, which means their farming activities are not affected.
To qualify, you must be aged 25 - 66 and in receipt of one of the following social welfare payments:
Jobseeker’s Allowance
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment
Disability Allowance
One-Parent Family Payment
Bereaved Partner’s Pension
State Pension
To prove you are actively farming, you must also provide a copy of your application for the Basic Payment Scheme.
To download our brochure on the Rural Social Scheme, visit the Resources section of our website by copying the link in the comments below.
Laois Local News Laois People

06/11/2026

The Camross Lunch Club Christmas lunch takes place on Thursday, 3rd December, in Camross Community Centre. To book your place, call Johanna on 086 6012153.
Laois Local News Laois People

06/11/2026

Our CEO Caroline Lydon enjoyed a very busy and informative two days spent with Local Development Companies Network colleagues, Government Ministers, senior civil servants, EU representatives, and Local Action Groups from other parts of Europe at the High-Level EU Rural Policy Forum held in the Killashee Hotel, Naas.
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD welcomed policymakers and rural development stakeholders from across Europe to Ireland for this high-level forum on the future of rural development policy.
Organised as part of Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and building on Ireland’s experience of delivering Our Rural Future, the two-day Forum explored how national and regional policies can better support rural communities and help shape future EU funding plans.
The Forum also focused on LEADER, which marks its 35th anniversary this year, and the important role of community-led local development in supporting rural areas. Our Rural Development Manager, Brian Kelly, was there to present one of our recent successful LEADER funded projects in Co. Laois, DUNMORE COUNTRY SCHOOL. To read more about Dunmore County School, copy the link in the comments before.
Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Laois Chamber Alliance Laois County Council Laois Tourism

06/11/2026

WATCH: White smoke may signal the selection of a new Pope, but it was regular charcoal smoke over the Portlaoise allotment that recently announced the launch of the new outdoor pizza oven at O'Moore Place, which is the culmination of nearly two years' work by local residents in a community project supported by Connect Laois and Our Shared Plate. Copy the link in the comments below to read more.
Portlaoise Notice Board Laois Local News Laois People

06/11/2026

FIND OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR AREA: As your local development company, Connect Laois delivers a variety of programmes and supports to local communities, all with the aim of improving life in Laois.
Our EMAIL NEWSLETTER will keep you informed of what is happening in your area, so just scan the QR code or copy the link in the comments below to sign up for the newsletter and receive all the latest development news straight to your inbox.

05/11/2026

Connect Laois is running Zero English classes for members of the Pakistani and Syrian communities. This is a unique opportunity to join a supportive online group and learn the basics of English with a qualified tutor. For more information, contact Oksana on 087 9131236 or email [email protected].
Laois People Laois Local News

05/11/2026

Connect Laois is delighted to see the installation of 24 new double-glazed windows at the Clochar Centre in Rathdowney, following a collaboration between our SICAP team and the Rathdowney Vision CLG community group, supporting two successful applications to the Community Climate Action Fund. To read more about this project and to see some before and after photos, copy the link in the comments below.
Laois Local News Laois People Laois County Council Rathdowney Community Centre Local Development Companies Network

04/11/2026

WATCH: Congratulations to the ARC Project, a voluntary group dedicated to helping individuals with addiction issues, their families, and the wider community, who have just celebrated their second anniversary operating in Portlaoise. You can watch a special case study video that tells the story of this dedicated community project, which began life as a pilot programme supported by Connect Laois before it grew to meet the needs of the county. To watch the video, featuring interviews with members of the ARC Project and Connect Laois, and to read a detailed narrative, copy the link in the comments below.
Laois Local News Laois People Local Development Companies Network Arc Project Portlaoise Notice Board

04/11/2026

Our Community Link Worker Anna Edmonds recently delivered a workshop in Portlaoise Library on 'Talking About Our Differences', an informative event designed to help parents and guardians sensitively discuss issues of race and different cultures with children. Some child-friendly materials from the workshop are now available to support conversations in the home, which will enable a cross-generational effort to create a more tolerant and inclusive society where all communities are made to feel welcome. To download the materials, visit the Resources section of our website by copying the link in the comments below.
Laois Local News Laois People Portlaoise Notice Board Laois Libraries

03/11/2026

VIEW: These half-pint horrors and tiny terrors got into the Halloween spirit at the O'Moore Place Preschool and Afterschool, which is one of two childcare centres in Portlaoise operated by Connect Laois. Check out this gallery of images showing all the colour, fun and creativity from the day: https://connectlaois.ie/half-pint-horrors-and-tiny-terrors-for-halloween-at-omoore-place-childcare/
Portlaoise Notice Board Laois People Laois Local News Laois County Childcare Committee CLG

Address

New Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Port Laoise
R32VY22

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 4pm

Website

https://www.connectlaois.ie/

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