The success story of the Payroll Shared Services Centre at Laois County Council continues with 12 additional staff to be added immediately to cater for an expansion of their operations. There are already 85 employees at the Centre, based on the top floor of County Hall in Portlaoise.
MyPay, the shared services centre in Portlaoise, has now been chosen to administer the new single public service pension scheme on behalf of the sector.
Twelve new staff to undertake the work have been sanctioned. The recruitment process is complete with the new members of staff commencing immediately.
The Portlaoise centre already has 15 local authorities live on its payroll and superannuation payment system. This will increase to 30 by the end of 2019.
The Local Government Management Association (LGMA) and the East & Midlands Regional Assembly are also being paid from MyPay. To date the value of the payments from the service totals €2,432 million in almost three million separate payments.
In response to questions from councillors concerning progress on the proposed new Glanbia cheese factory at Togher, the Chief Executive John Mulholland gave an update. He said that he saw this project at Togher as vital and critical to the development of the county.
Mr Mullholland added that Glanbia were a highly reputable company who had been granted planning permission to proceed by the Council.
As part of their capital programme the Council are providing an access road to the land at Togher which he viewed as one of the most suitable and attractive for investment in the country.
He confirmed that there had been one submission opposing the Glanbia plant in an appeal to An Bord Pleanala. He was not in a position to comment on this but he hoped for an early and positive decision and that in the interests of economic development that it would be looked on urgently as a priority.
He noted that An Bord Pleanala had a significant caseload.“This is the first factory to come our way in Laois in a long time. I hope there is a decision made urgently, or otherwise we could lose it,” said Cllr John Moran, who wasn’t impressed in general with the nature of the objections to some developments.
The monthly Council meeting also agreed to dispose of 1.108 hectares of land at Clonminam Industrial Estate to Total Highway Maintenance Ltd, Kilaree, Threecastles in Kilkenny.
The land in question was originally acquired by the local authority from Mr Michael Begley. It is being sold by the Council to the Kilkenny company for €175,000.
SEE ALSO – Nigerian native and former Mayor of Portlaoise set to run in Local Elections again
