Green light given for new childcare facility in Laois

Planning has been approved for the Ratheniska Community Hall

Published 22nd Jun 2026, 12:25 BST Ratheniska Community Hall Planning has been approved for the Ratheniska Community Hall Planning permission has been granted for a new childcare facility in a local community hall in Laois .

The Ratheniska Community Hall Committee submitted a planning application to Laois County Council back in April to change the use of part of the community hall to a childcare facility.

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Planning permission has now been approved for the new facility in the community hall. The building is owned by the Kildare & Leighlin Diocesan Trust who have given the community hall committee the go-ahead for the development.

The community hall, which is located beside the Church of the Holy Cross as well as Ratheniska NS, is proposed to have two activity rooms to serve the childcare facility.

Plans for a new exit door to the rear of the building were also included in the application, along with minor internal alterations and other associated site works.

The proposed development would share the use of the existing hall, kitchen and sanitary facilities.

The building would also continue to serve as a community hall outside of the operating hours of the childcare facility which are 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.

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The planning application states that four members of staff will be employed at the facility which will operate primarily as an Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and sessional pre-school service.

The development will accommodate a maximum of 22 children attending the ECCE/sessional service between 9.15am and 12.15pm each day.

In addition to this, up to 16 of these children may avail of extended attendance through a part-time childcare service for a maximum of five hours per day, operating between 8.30am and 1.30pm.

The overall occupancy of the pre-school facility cannot exceed 22 children at any one time. The proposed facility is a sessional childcare service and does not operate as a full-day care facility.

The Ratheniska Community Hall Committee also operates a morning childcare service which operates for one hour prior to school starting and an after-school childcare service, which have a maximum capacity of 48 children.

These services are currently registered and approved by Tusla and utilise the existing community hall facilities, including the main hall.

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