There was more evidence during the week of the amazing expansion of Portlaoise, which is expected to double in size over the next five years.
Laois County Council has paid just under £1 million for 12 acres of land at Colliers' Lane, just off the Dublin road, it was learned during the week.
The site will be used for a mixture of local authority housing, private housing development and voluntary housing projects, according to the Laois county secretary, Mr Louis Brennan, who expects the development to start in around two years' time. The move by the council to buy and develop land follows vigorous private sector activity in Portlaoise over the last two years.
In a move that involved amending the county development plan, the council a few weeks ago gave its permission for the largest single development it has dealt with.
Under the proposal a hotel, nursing home, medical centre, supermarket and retirement dwellings will be added to a 760-house development at Kilminchy. The developer, Mr Jim McDonald, had sought permission to build 800 houses but this number was reduced after discussions with residents of neighbouring estates.