'We've gone back to February 2020' Laois county hall reopens to public
After almost two years of pandemic restrictions, Laois County Council offices in Portlaoise have reopened to the public.
However staff will be gradually returning to their offices and some may request to keep working from home, the CEO John Mulholland said this week.
He spoke four days after Covid restrictions were lifted on January 22, ending the first full council meeting held at county hall since March 2020. Councillors signed off the Laois County Development Plan 2021-2027 which was developed all through the pandemic.
"We are at the end of a two year period where members have taken on a very arduous and at times tortuous role. I acknowledge the public's engaging in public participation events. A lot were organised electronically and will keep using it in the future as it seemed to elicitate a greater response.
"I'd imagine access is more or less immediate. Things changed substantially on Saturday morning. The offices are open to the public. We're sitting here, and we used the canteen.
"The only thing that needs to be addressed in the short term is the gradual return of workers to the workplace and the right to request to work from home. Members have access and we all must do the right thing. I wouldn't say it's a cause for jubilation, its just a return to normal service. I know you will have regard to the individual needs of staff and yourselves, to be on the guard for people who might have more vulnerable members of their family at home," Mr Mulholland said.
"For all intents and purposes, we've gone back to February 2020, that's fair to say," the Cathaoirleach Cllr Conor Bergin said.