Together for Climate Action

Learn how Laois County Council is taking a leadership role on climate action – working to reach its own climate targets while helping the wider county to do the same.

Climate action video series

Laois County Council have created a compelling video series that showcases the council’s ongoing efforts in combating climate change and spearheading sustainable initiatives in partnership with local communities.

The video series highlights projects including: 

  • Retrofitting council houses
  • Supporting Tidy Towns
  • Laois libraries new program “Stepping Stones to Sustainability”
  • Energy efficiency measures
  • Key infrastructure projects supporting active and sustainable travel
  • Refurbishing and repurposing derelict buildings and working towards the achievement of Portlaoise as low carbon town. 

We will continue to create and upload climate action videos to our youtube channel that will showcase climate action related topics that we hope you will find interesting. Enjoy this exciting video series!

The video series includes:

Snapshot of climate action in Laois

The formation of Laois County Council’s Climate Action Team and ongoing climate actions in the Council

  • The formation of Laois County Council’s Climate Action Team and ongoing climate actions in the Council.
  • John Mulholland our former Chief Executive of Laois County Council, brings us through the development of Portlaoise Low Carbon Town. The physical evidence of this transition is visible in the town’s streetscape, facilities, services and in our actions together as a community.
  • More from John Mulholland, our former Chief Executive on the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town Project. John Mulholland, our former Chief Executive illuminates the Portlaoise Low Carbon Town Project
  • In 2021, Laois County Council signed up as a partner in the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and continues to work with communities and across sections of the council to have a positive impact on biodiversity and pollinators.

Mountrath Wildlife Amenity Park

In Mountrath Wildlife Amenity Park, Laois County Council engaged a landscape architect to showcase how to work with nature in our local amenity areas:

Abbeyleix Climate Action Project

Here, we see how award winning Abbeyleix Climate Action Project, with support from Laois County Council among others, creatively engages the community in meaningful climate actions.

Trigoue Way

The Triogue Way is a recent intervention across Portlaoise to support a shift to the bike for some 5000 cars that drive 15 mins to school and/or work every morning in the town.

Climate literacy programme

Laois County Council sponsors Climate Literacy Programme for all Transition Years in Secondary School in the County. Find out more about this new approach to education on climate action which incorporates teacher training.

Retrofitting our housing stock

  • In 2022, Laois County Council retrofitted 160 of their housing stock improving the livability of these homes with measures including: external insulation wraps, new windows and doors and heat pumps replacing fossil fuels and new radiators.
  • Hear from some of the residents and their experiences with the Laois County Council retrofit programme – homes going from BER E3 to A2 and saving €2000 a year on heating bills!

What our libraries are doing?

  • Laois Libraries, who at their core are a sustainable service, talk about some of their climate action initiatives; Codema Energy Kits for free use to public, Stepping Stones to Sustainability education and the Europe Direct centre supplying information on the European Green Deal

What digital improvements are we making

Laois County Council’s IT Department are reducing the carbon footprint of the council services with initiatives including: a digital first policy, an online consultation portal, supporting remote working and MyCoCo for many of the Council’s services.

Active Travel

Laois County Council are delivering improved infrastructure to support active travel including new walking routes, safe cycling and scooting. 

Every active journey is a climate action!