Laois Co Council approves budget of €132m for coming year

LAOIS councillors approved an increased Laois County Council budget of more than €132 million for the coming year.

The amount is a 7.4% rise on the €124m budget for the county this year.

Council management said in a statement that the “increased” budget will “ensure” the continued provision of ‘high-quality services and supports” to Laois residents, across eight service divisions.

Fine Gael councillor and council Cathaoirleach Barry Walsh, said that the 2026 budget is “positive with huge investment allocated to communities’ in Laois.

Cllr Walsh added: “I am delighted to see the support of community initiatives, the tackling of dereliction and the allocation of funds to STEM engagement as well as much more. Being able to increase the budget by over 7% is to be commended for the positive impacts it will bring to communities across our county.” Several council departments are also to benefit from increased funding.

The housing and building budget has increased by slightly more than €3m to €41.5m to provide and maintain social and affordable housing.

The road transportation and safety budget includes increased provision to support the continued maintenance and enhancement of the local road network, as well as improvements in fleet management.

The development management budget has increased by €1.3m to more than €15m, reflecting enhanced allocations for town regeneration, economic development, county promotion, and heritage and conservation initiatives.

An increase to €1.4m was approved for the environmental services budget with additional funding allocated to street cleaning, fire service operations, and initiatives in climate action and biodiversity.

The recreation and amenity budget includes increased allocations for leisure facilities, library services, and community amenities, including local enhancement programmes, parks, and open spaces to meet growing demand within this service division.

Budget allocations include €41.5m for housing and building,€31.3 for road transport and safety, water services receives €4m,€15.2m for development management, environmental services a total of €15.3m,€9m for recreation and amenity, €900,000 for agriculture, education, health and welfare and miscellaneous services is allocated €15.4m.

Council chief executive Michael Rainey thanked elected members for adopting the 2026 budget.

Mr Rainey outlined that the budget for next year “is progressive and forward-looking which allocates funds to key priority areas including housing, local roads, parks, regeneration, libraries and at the heart of it all, communities in Laois.

“Our aim is to ensure that the quality of life for Laois residents continues to improve as well as positioning our county as an attractive destination for visitors nationally and internationally.” The chief executive thanked and recognised the “dedication” of the finance team, led by Director of Finance Julie Bergin for their work in putting the budget together.

However, local businesses are facing an increase in commercial rates costs, a rise for the first time in eight years.

Following extensive engagement with elected members during September and October 2025, the council is to introduce a 5% increase in commercial rates. The council has said the adjustment is essential to address the ongoing challenges across multiple service delivery areas, as previously highlighted in the 2026 budget report.

“These challenges, driven by inflationary pressures and rising service demands, are expected to persist into the future,”the council report outlines.

“Commercial rates in Laois County Council have remained unchanged since 2017. The impact of inflation on our budgets exceeds the buoyancy in the net effective valuation by approximately €3.75m. Commercial rates account for approximately 12% of local authority funding and play a vital role in sustaining service delivery across the wide range of functions provided by the council.” In the report Mr Rainey explained: “Despite the challenges posed by inflationary pressures and increased demands on resources, Budget 2026 represents a positive and forward-looking financial strategy that addresses the key priorities of the Elected Members.

“Budget 2026 aims to implement initiatives that enhance the quality of life across Co Laois, encompassing areas such as housing and accommodation, economic growth and job creation, well-maintained and appropriate transport infrastructure, environmental protection and climate action, high-quality recreational facilities and amenities, support for community and voluntary organisations, and the promotion of arts and heritage.”