Editing Portlaoise (section)

==Economy==
Portlaoise has long been a major commercial and retail hub for the Midlands. Until the mid 20th century, the main industries of the town were flour milling and the manufacture of worsted fabric. Since their respective declines, among the largest employers are state-owned bodies such as the maximum-security [[Portlaoise Prison]], which houses the majority of the [[Irish Republican]]  prisoners sentenced in the [[Republic of Ireland|Republic]], the [[Midlands Prison]], the [[Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Department of Agriculture]] and the [[Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise]]. State-owned companies [[CIÉ|Córas Iompair Éireann]] (railways, with a National Traincare Maintenance Depot in Portlaoise), the [[ESB Group|ESB]] (utilities, with a training centre in the town) and also [[An Post]] are all major employers. In 2013 ''MyPay'', a new central payroll system for 55,000 local authority employees across Ireland, was set up in Portlaoise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Minister_Alan_Kelly_T_D_launches_MyPay_-_payroll_and_superannuation_shared_service_for_local_authorities.html |title=Minister Alan Kelly T.D. launches MyPay - payroll and superannuation shared service for local authorities - MerrionStreet |publisher=Merrionstreet.ie |date=2015-05-29 |access-date=2019-11-06 |archive-date=29 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161229083139/http://merrionstreet.ie/en/News-Room/Releases/Minister_Alan_Kelly_T_D_launches_MyPay_-_payroll_and_superannuation_shared_service_for_local_authorities.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Due to its location and transport connections, the National Spatial Strategy chose Portlaoise as the location for Ireland's first "[[Dry port|Inland Port]]". This designation encourages the town to focus on the growth of distribution, logistics and warehouse uses. [[An Post]] operates the second largest mail centre in Ireland (after Dublin) at their depot in Portlaoise.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eirephilatelicassoc.org/content/volume-3-number-8 |title=Volume 3, Number 8 &#124; Éire Philatelic Association |publisher=Eirephilatelicassoc.org |access-date=2019-11-06 |archive-date=12 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112034827/http://www.eirephilatelicassoc.org/content/volume-3-number-8 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise.JPG|thumb|[[Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise|Midland Regional Hospital]]]]

===Retail===
Retail spaces include Laois Shopping Centre which is [[Anchor tenant|anchored]] by [[Tesco]], The Kyle Centre which is anchored by [[Dunnes Stores]], Parkside Shopping Centre which is anchored by [[SuperValu (Ireland)|Super Valu]], the Kylekiproe road retail area which houses [[Aldi]], [[Lidl]] and Shaws department stores as well as retail parks in Kea Lew and on the South Circular Road.

===Tourism===
[[File:Castle of Dunamase im Abendlicht 02.jpg|thumb|[[Rock of Dunamase]]]]
Tourist sites near the area include the [[Rock of Dunamase]] (6&nbsp;km to the east), a hill-top castle which dates from the 12th century. There is also a 12th-century [[Irish round tower|round tower]] 12&nbsp;km away in [[Timahoe]].

Also close by is Fort Protector, a 16th-century fort built to protect British colonists from Irish natives.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fort Protector |url=https://laois.ie/departments/heritage/archaeology/fort-protector/ |website=Laois County Council |access-date=7 May 2024}}</ref>

[[Emo Court]] is a large Georgian estate designed by [[James Gandon]] at nearby [[Emo, County Laois|Emo]].