Our central location Our central location

Laois’s connectivity ensures quick access to key airports and ports across Ireland, while also delivering a large customer base and skilled workforce to its door.

Belfast Airport

A1

60 Minutes 45 Minutes M1

M4 Laois is a great place to M4 Dublin Connect to the rest of Ireland and the world Airport Dublin Port M7 Port live, to visit and to do of Galway Laois is Ireland’s strategically best placed county for doing business outside of Dublin. At the heart business in. It is strategically M7 of the national transport network and within an hour of Dublin, the county benefits from excellent positioned right in the heart of the midlands and easily M9 connectivity and ensures rapid access to anywhere in Ireland, with motorways to all leading cities. Limerick M8 Shannon Port accessible. Shannon Airport Foynes Portlaoise, Ireland’s fastest growing town, is positioned near the intersection of the M7 and M8 Louise Phelan, Port motorways (connecting Dublin, Cork and Limerick), with the N80 linking Laois to the M6 (connecting VP EMEA Paypal

Waterford Rosslare to Athlone and Galway, and Rosslare Port in the Southeast). In addition, three strategic rail corridors Port Port pass through the county and nationwide bus services operate regularly to and from Laois. Cork Port Cork Airport

Over of businesses Established companies located in Laois Buses leave every 72% 78 trains hour 24/7 to/from surveyed are very happy to daily Portlaoise and Dublin be based in Laois and not City and Dublin Airport looking to move.

connect2laois.ie connect2laois.ie Skills and workforce Skills and workforce

Laois is ideally situated, with Ireland’s most prestigious and innovative universities on its doorstep.

Distance from Portlaoise 75 Minutes LIMERICK

120 Minutes 60 Minutes

ithin 90 m w inu es te 60 Minutes 40 Minutes g d lle r o iv c e l e v e l

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Connect to the right talent 4

We chose Laois because 1

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of the skilled workforce 60 Minutes v 70 Minutes Laois has experienced rapid population growth over the past 25 years and combined with its needed to service our O strategic location within 70 km from the Dublin Metropolitan area, it offers access to a highly-skilled clients, Google, labour force. Only 40 km from Portlaoise, Carlow IT is the fourth largest Institute of Technology in Microsoft, Adobe. 115 Minutes 95 Minutes the country with over 7,000 learners. Seamus Delaney, 115 Minutes 45 Minutes Laois County Council has a strong relationship with the Institute and is collaborating with them Founder of Internal Results TIPPERARY on a number of projects. IT Carlow is committed to promoting start up businesses and working closely with the industrial and commercial sectors nationally and internationally, and is continually developing collaborations with existing businesses.

Portlaoise within 60 minutes drive time Sample fields of study The highest % Population 736,109 Business, law, and social science 57,511 87% of the of under 35s in Ireland 92% rate of population are Engineering, manufacturing, and Labour force 358,021 46,381 employment within 90 mins live in Laois. construction of Laois With third-level qualification 96,362 Science, mathematics, and computing 17,448

connect2laoisie connect2laoisie World-class infrastructure World-class infrastructure

Ports Less than 120 minutes from 6 international ports ss ce c Rail Extensive rail and bus A network linking to major l cities within 60 minutes a

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Connect to business facilities and services There is a wonderful e

t n infrastructure, road I In addition to its strategic location, Laois boasts an enabling infrastructure to support and drive networks and everything Over 17,500 seats business in the county. With access to six international ports and three major airports, all serviced you need as a backdrop daily to the UK by major motorways, along with an extensive rail network and bus service, Laois is linked to all for a new business. UK & USA Over 4,000 seats major cities. daily to the USA Jim Reynolds, Because of its strategic location, Laois is developing rapidly as a national conference centre. There Managing Director, are seven hotels which have state-of-the-art conference facilities, offering perfect space for small Demesne business meetings or facilities for conferences for up to 2,000 delegates. 8 secondary schools Availability of and 67 national high level gas and primary schools electricity networks

495 hectares in 60 mins zoned land available 1,000MBps drive on motorway to broadband speed 7 hotels in the county for enterprise Europe’s fastest growing in Portlaoise which can cater for Over 16 hospitals development airport, serving 185 conferences ranging within 90 minutes routes with 47 airlines. from 800 to 2,000 drive of Laois connect2laoisie connect2laoisie Our lower operational costs Our lower operational costs Commercial property rent in Laois The average price of housing compared to other Irish cities* and accommodation in Portlaoise compares favourably to the €700 Dublin average* €537-619 €600

€500

€400 €290 €220 Connect to lower operational costs I won best established €300 business in Laois in Ireland’s Laois actively welcomes new business, offering both financial and advisory support to those looking Best Young Entrepreneur €200 €60 to relocate to Laois and is committed to developing and promoting a proactive, pro-business Competition with a prize fund €2,500 €582,000 inclusive environment which supports enterprise and enterprising people. through the Local Enterprise €900 €155,000 €100 Office. LAOIS DUBLIN LAOIS DUBLIN Laois County Council, through its Business Support Unit, prides itself on taking a personal interest in To rent per month To buy supporting each new business, be this through capital investment, mentoring, training, animation or Laois Galway Cork Dublin Heidi Higgins, *Prices for 3 bed semi. capacity building of collaborative networks and clusters, to foster greater entrepreneurial culture in *Prices based on m2 Source RBL estates/Independent.ie Heidi Higgins Boutique Dublin a town, or a tourism destination or a specialised industry.

Over €1.4 million in grants were given out over the past five years. €46 per sq metre to Cost per sq ft for Competitive rent commercial turn commercial property Commercial low €36 m2 cheaper to In 2016, Laois had the highest key property <50% current rateable €380 number of applications in Ireland’s development sq metre to buy rent than Dublin Best Young Entrepreneur valuation of €66.57 charge rate Competition in the Midlands region and second highest in the connect2laoisie country in 2015. connect2laoisie Laois County Hall Work-life balance Work-life balance

Heritage Culture and Arts

Situated on Ireland’s Ancient East, Laois has a Hosted in , Electric Picnic, Ireland’s wealth of historical treasure troves to explore. premier culture, arts and music festival has had The Rock of Dunamaise and Dunamaise Castle, a long and vibrant history, helping a burgeoning a beautiful Norman castle, is a hugely popular local arts scene to thrive. Dunamaise Arts Centre tourist attraction along the Ancient East and is houses local and international exhibitions, one of the best sighted castles in the country. while a number of Ireland’s most influential Emo Court House and Gardens attracts 300,000 contemporary artists are located in Laois. visitors every year.

Connect to a better work-life balance

With its strategic location, affordable housing, range of outdoor activities, easy commute to local work or motorway all the way to Dublin, Laois ticks all the boxes. Those living in Laois can have all the benefits of city living, but without the stress and associated cost. Laois isn’t just an attractive place to work based on its accessibility, it also offers an unrivalled lifestyle, perched on Ireland’s Ancient East, hosting internationally acclaimed arts, culture and music festivals, and boasting a huge variety of amenities for everyone. Hospitality/Restaurants

Artisan food, outdoor food markets and Sport & Recreation festivals are a key part of Irish life and Laois is no Natural Amenities For me and my staff, exception. There is a large range of restaurants work-life balance The South Laois Cycle Trail offers cyclists up to The , containing and cafés, ranging from independent artisan is very important. It 48 km of trails taking in the towns and villages the Glenbarrow Waterfall, are one of the producers, to five-star gourmet dining. Ballyfin allows us to be more House, one of Ireland’s most prestigious hotels, of Cullahill, Ballacolla, , Attanagh and most popular attractions for visitors with the productive. offers incredible luxury, and in 2016 was awarded Durrow. Laois has two public leisure centres, villages of and being Condé Nast’s Hotel of the Year award. Morrisseys twenty playgrounds, ten public libraries, cinemas the favoured starting and finishing points for Heidi Higgins, and arts centres. a great mountain walking experience. Heidi Higgins Boutique pub in won best pub in Ireland. Durrow Scarecrow Festival connect2laoisie connect2laoisie Visit our website Find out more about how we can help you and your organisation relocate to For further information, go to www.connect2laois.ie and expand within Laois. or contact a member of our Business Support Unit.

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Laois County Council Contact: Áras an Chontae, Business Support Unit, Phone: (057) 866 4000 JFL Ave., Laois County Council,

Portlaoise, Áras an Chontae, JFL Ave., Email: Co. Laois. Portlaoise, Co Laois. [email protected]