Laois town ‘not near getting’ long-awaited ring road to ease traffic congestion

The Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route was proposed during the Celtic Tiger

Published 19th Jun 2026, 18:55 BST The Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route is needed to ease congestion from the N80 in Portlaoise. The Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route was proposed during the Celtic Tiger Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.

Portlaoise is “not near getting” its long-awaited ring road to ease traffic congestion, a local councillor has said.

Councillor Catherine Fitzgerald sought an update on the Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route (PNOR) at the June meeting of the Portlaoise MD.

The PNOR was originally proposed during the Celtic Tiger, with Laois County Council envisaging that the project would be funded by development levies charged on developers building housing estates that would be accessing the road.

This plan was abandoned when the economy collapsed. However, the demand for the road persisted. It was later added to the National Development Plan, although it was eventually removed.

Laois’ three TDs have consistently lobbied for the development of the ring road in the Dáil, but as it is not on the National Development Plan there has been no progress in moving it along.

Raising the issue once again, Cllr Fitzgerald told the council: “This PNOR was planned with the southern orbital route. It was to go from the petrol station on the Mountmellick Road over to the motorway. Can you just imagine what that would mean for Portlaoise?

“This is a necessity for Portlaoise. When that was planned I say the town wasn’t even a third of the size it is now. We have substantial growth and the traffic in Portlaoise is choking.”

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Cllr Fitzgerald reiterated the proposed route for the road, leading from Mountmellick Road, across Bridge Road and the Borris Road and on to the M7 motorway.

“It would take all that N80 traffic away from the town. It’s essential infrastructure for Portlaoise. It would be a huge help to the town,” she insisted.

A delegation of local councillors attended a meeting with TII recently to discuss transport projects in the county. Cllr Tommy Mulligan was one of the Portlaoise councillors who attended the meeting.

He told Cllr Fitzgerald that from what they learned at the meeting regarding the PNOR is that “the bottom line is there is no update.”

“There can’t be any update because TII made it clear that until this is on the National Development Plan, they have no influence on this and neither do Laois County Council,” he said.

Cllr Mulligan explained that the project is essentially in the Government’s hands and there won’t be a review of the National Development Plan for another 2 years.

“At the moment, we’re not near getting this,” said Cllr Mulligan.

Responding to the query by Cllr Fitzgerald, Director of Services at Laois County Council, Simon Walton, said: “Delivery of the Portlaoise Northern Orbital Route has been a key Transport Objective of successive County Development Plans and Portlaoise Local Area Plans, since the early 2000s.

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“More recently, following engagement with the Department of Transport, acknowledging both ongoing and projected population growth in Portlaoise, it is agreed that Laois County Council will prepare a Project Oversight Document/Strategic Assessment Report, as a precursor to additional design and planning stages for the delivery of this critical transport objective.”

Mr Walton concluded: “Ultimately, however, funding to enable construction of the route will not be available until the Project is listed as a specific objective of the National Development Plan.”

Related topics: N80 Laois Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald Cllr Tommy Mulligan Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.