New Info Please on Portarlington and Portlaoise offered work there, considering move

LoveIreland

Hi Everyone this is my first time on this site, my husband and I are considering moving to Portarlington to work , we have never been anywhere near the town, I have read a lot of not so great info hear and there about the town in different places online, but he was offered a job opportunity there....and it looks kind of lovely in some videos ive watched, just searching, trying to see what i can find....seems like the people are friendly i read that over and over, which is super important to us we are all about a nice community dont want issues with gangs and that sort of thing., ....but looking to be able to make a decent living there....maybe live there or Hi Everyone this is my first time on this site, my husband and I are considering moving to Portarlington, we have never been anywhere near the town, I have read a lot of not so great info hear and there about the town in different places online, but he was offered a job opportunity there....just searching, trying to see what i can find....seems like the people are friendly i read that over and over, which is super important to us we are all about a nice community dont want issues with gangs and that sort of thing., ....but looking to be able to make a decent living there....or Hi Everyone this is my first time on this site, my husband and I are considering moving to Portarlington, we have never been anywhere near the town, I have read a lot of not so great info hear and there about the town in different places online, but he was offered a job opportunity there....just searching, trying to see what i can find....seems like the people are friendly i read that over and over, which is super important to us we are all about a nice community dont want issues with gangs and that sort of thing., ....but looking to be able to make a decent living there....or Portlaoise?

Is the economy bouncing back from where it was say in 2006 and before didnt seem to be so good, and Wikipedia said in 2011 the population was about 7800, can u guess about what it is now in 2015? Is it near 20,000 yet? i cant find any more current info. and ive read a few places the town is growing, any guesses on current population? and said like 1/2 of that was on getting gov aid assistance....? is it a struggling economy then with not much disposable income ?

i have read a few places main street is run down, but again this is like 8 and 5 year old info but cant seem to find anything more current a lot can change from 2006-2015, i saw they did some building painting and sprucing up in 2012 with some plant hangers as well....and they were working on reopening th eold boxing club , has that happened?
....and we are trying to get a realistic feel I read alot of people commute to Dublin to work, so is there a good broad span of economic levels as far as high mid and low incomes? It seemed to say alot of folks were struggling out there and it makes me kind of nervous as far as making a living and such.

I also read that services weren't great back in 2006, hows the high speed internet and cell service out there now?
and also does it flood a lot being so flat? And are there still peat bogs out there? Is ther ea mold issue with it being so flat?

ANY input is greatly appreciated, im sorry for all the questions , I do a ton of google-ing and research but i am finding a ton of really old Info, so anyone whos there now or very recent Id love to hear from you thank u so much for your time.

also, i cant get The Tannery to come up on google earth, what is that is it like a city center off of main between main and the link rd?

Much gratitude.
k