Interview: John Mulholland Chief Executive Laois County Council
What is your economic forecast for County Laois?
County Laois has benefited from nearly 700 million euro in public national infrastructure projects over the past two decades. These projects connected Laois’ central location to Ireland’s west and east coasts. The county benefitted from its strategic location in terms of access between Dublin and Cork; being only 60 minutes to Dublin Airport, and 70 minutes to Shannon Airport.
Laois County is pro-enterprise, pro-entrepreneur, and receptive to investment. We set up our own business support unit with our local enterprise office to facilitate solutions and offer incentives for investment.
Although private investments have been lagging, our outlook is very positive, and Laois County has seen an increase in visitors with new investment ventures. Due to Laois County’s central location, it is increasingly a hub for logistics as it allows for a streamlined supply chain management in the national distribution of goods. All of Ireland is just an hour and a half drive away.
How do you assess the quality of life in Laois?
Ireland’s regions try to overcome the public perception and cultural hesitancy with regards to investing outside the glittering capital. County Laois offers a pristine environment, and an unparalleled work life balance. We are repurposing the town center to focus on cultural aspects of society including entertainment, arts, creativity, culture and genealogy.
Furthermore, the county has a successful track record hosting large scale events. One of the biggest music events that takes place in Europe is the Electric Picnic Festival, which is a three-day event with musicians and artists from all over the world. This takes place in Stradbally every autumn.
What tourism offering does the county offer?
Tourists can go back in time to when Monks established themselves with their ecclesiastical center in Oughaval, which was the forerunner to the Franciscan Friars who created beer like Smithwick’s. You can also visit the Seven Septs of Laois, where the original Irish clans in the area had their own hierarchy. The Slieve Bloom Mountains have beautiful cycle tracks, and are right in the middle of the countryside with fishing and golfing.