Recent news & updates

Here, you'll find updates on my progress as Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform and T.D. for Carlow-Kilkenny. Click on the categories below to filter my posts for the issues you're interested in.

Nestflix: a new live stream for nature lovers!

Team Mal Noonan

Mar 12

Nestflix: a new live stream for nature lovers!

The National Parks & Wildlife Service has launched new livestreams featuring two chough pairs as they begin their nesting season.

Farming for Water fund to improve water quality

Team Mal Noonan

Mar 7

Farming for Water fund to improve water quality

I spent this morning on the banks of Lough Ennell, at the Westmeath farm of Róisín and David Fay, where myself, Minister for Agricultutre...

€34m SNaP to transform our approach to biodiversity data

Team Mal Noonan

Mar 6

€34m SNaP to transform our approach to biodiversity data

I’ve just announced a new €34m Strategic Nature Project (SNaP) to transform Ireland’s approach to biodiversity data and enable us to...

Community Biodiversity Grants for Thomastown, Tullahought and Tullow

Team Mal Noonan

Mar 4

Community Biodiversity Grants for Thomastown, Tullahought and Tullow

I've just announced 78 Community Biodiversity Grants across Ireland including funding to regenerate an 11-acre nature reserve on an...

Give wildlife a chance this nesting season

Team Mal Noonan

Mar 1

Give wildlife a chance this nesting season

From today, cutting of hedgerows and burning of land is prohibited under the Wildlife Act to protect vegetation and wildlife habitats.

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 27

A landmark day and a win for nature

Today was a great day for nature and for Europe as the Nature Restoration Law has passed in the Europe Parliament.

Record number of new homes got underway in January

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 23

Record number of new homes got underway in January

New figures from the Department of Housing show building commenced on a record number of new homes across Carlow-Kilkenny in January 2024.

€14.5m for Carlow and Kilkenny for National Roads, Active Travel and Greenways

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 22

€14.5m for Carlow and Kilkenny for National Roads, Active Travel and Greenways

Over €14.5 million is headed to Carlow and Kilkenny this year for the improvement and maintenance of national roads and design of...

Kilkenny schools set to lead the solar revolution

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 22

Kilkenny schools set to lead the solar revolution

93% of Kilkenny schools have applied for the government's free Solar for Schools scheme, which launched last November.

Lack of progress on Kilkenny Ring Road extension

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 15

Lack of progress on Kilkenny Ring Road extension

Today, I was expecting to see significant funding allocated to progress the Kilkenny Ring Road Extension. Instead, we were told that...

Carlow and Kilkenny to benefit from €120 million regeneration fund

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 9

Carlow and Kilkenny to benefit from €120 million regeneration fund

‘THRIVE’ scheme will offer local authorities up to €7 million to renovate disused heritage buildings and support Town Centre First approach.

Another €6m for walking and cycling in Carlow and Kilkenny

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 8

Another €6m for walking and cycling in Carlow and Kilkenny

Great news for Carlow and Kilkenny! The NTA announced yesterday that the two counties will receive €6m funding for walking and cycling...

632 vacant social homes brought back into use in Kilkenny and Carlow

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 7

632 vacant social homes brought back into use in Kilkenny and Carlow

Figures from the Department of Housing show 632 vacant social homes were brought back into use in Carlow and Kilkenny between 2014 and 2023.

New guidelines for upgrading traditional buildings

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 6

New guidelines for upgrading traditional buildings

This will help more people upgrade their homes and address vacancy in our towns and cities by bringing more buildings back into use.

At last! A deposit and return scheme for Ireland!

Team Mal Noonan

Feb 1

At last! A deposit and return scheme for Ireland!

From today, consumers in Carlow and Kilkenny will have a chance to get ‘cash for trash’ when they recycle their used bottles and cans.

The new National Biodiversity Action Plan is here!

Team Mal Noonan

Jan 25

The new National Biodiversity Action Plan is here!

It's a big day for nature and a big day for me, as today I launch Ireland’s new National Biodiversity Action Plan.

Milestone workshop on nature-based solutions for water quality

Team Mal Noonan

Jan 17

Milestone workshop on nature-based solutions for water quality

The first Nature-Based Solutions Strategy Workshop marked an important milestone in advancing the implementation of nature-based solutions.

Kilkenny Needs a County Museum, say Noonan and Dollard

Team Mal Noonan

Jan 15

Kilkenny Needs a County Museum, say Noonan and Dollard

A change in remit of the Medieval Mile Museum towards a free to enter municipal museum could unlock the full potential of the St Mary's site

Carlow Kilkenny's brightest young minds at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition

Team Mal Noonan

Jan 12

Carlow Kilkenny's brightest young minds at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition

I blown away by some of the projects from our Carlow Kilkenny students at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition this week!

'Seas off Wexford' - Ireland's newest and biggest SPA

Team Mal Noonan

Jan 11

'Seas off Wexford' - Ireland's newest and biggest SPA

Today I'm announcing 'Seas off Wexford', Ireland's BIGGEST EVER Special Protection Area for birds at 305,000 hectares.

2 3

5 6

Click here for my newsletter archive