Equipment grant now available for Laois childminders
The call has been put out to all childminders in Laois to avail of the 2025 Childminding Development Grant.
The grant provides up to €1,000 to assist both registered and unregistered childminders who are providing a childminding service in their own homes.
The purpose of the grant is to assist childminders to enhance the quality and safety of their service through the purchase of:
- Toys,
- Childcare equipment,
- Safety equipment,
- Equipment to support inclusion and
- IT equipment,
- Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths (STEAM) education.
The grant scheme is open to all childminders, including those who are planning to open a childminding business during 2025.
75% of the grant is paid in advance to help childminders with the upfront costs of purchasing equipment.
The grant was officially launched by Norma Foley TD as one of her first actions as the new Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
Further information about the Childminding Development Grant can be found here or by calling Laois County Childcare on 057-8661029.
Applications for the 2025 Childminding Development Grant are open and will close on Friday, April 4.
‘Lessons must be learned from the fallout of Storm Eowyn,’ Stanley says
Laois TD Brian Stanley has said that “lessons must be learned from the fallout of Storm Eowyn given the fact that these extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe”.
Speaking in the Dail, the Independent Republican TD said: “The effects of the storm in County Laois were severe, with hundreds of roads blocked and trees down.
“I acknowledge the work of the ESB staff, the outdoor staff of Laois County Council, the volunteers in Laois Civil Defence and all the others who played a role in dealing with the emergency situation.”
Deputy Stanley the country’s electricity grid needs to be upgraded, saying: “We need backup generators in key facilities, including health centres, schools, and other places, in order that we can continue to operate.
“When the storm has died down, we should be able to reopen these critically important facilities.”
Deputy Stanley commended the ESB’s response to the recent power outages, but qualified that by saying the company’s outdoor staff has been depleted and bemoaned the ESB’s dependce on contractors.
“With privatisation, we are relying on contractors, who will come if it suits them and will not come if it does not suit them,” Deputy Stanley said.
“Building standards must be improved.
“We need to look at the roofs we are putting on houses. Some roofs blew off like pieces of paper.
“We will need more robust roofs and housing structures in the future.”
Deputy Stanley also said that “compensation needs to be paid where homes are damaged.”
Laois records 10% growth in new domain registrations
Laois recorded over 10% growth in new .ie domain registrations in 2024 compared to registration levels in 2023 according to the latest .ie Domain Profile Report.
A total of 618 .ie domains were registered in Laois in 2024.
The report has given a glimpse into future economic activity in Ireland, highlighting the value of a strong online presence in response the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
.ie continues to hold majority share of Ireland’s hosted domains (54.2%) followed by .com (29.43%) and .uk (7.33%) with a 16% increase in the total .ie database over the past five years.
Both nationally and globally, changes in the way consumers engage with eCommerce highlights the importance of establishing a stable digital presence via a controlled and secure website.
According to Eurostat, rural areas are falling behind when it comes to digital literacy across the European Union.
In Ireland, 35% of people living in rural areas and 37% of people living in Irish towns and suburbs reported having above-basic overall digital skills, compared to 46.5% of the population living in cities.
A .ie website provides reassurance for business owners that their main point of contact with consumers is safe from cyber threats as .ie websites boast significantly lower levels of spam and cyber threats, when compared to other top-level domains like .com.
