Malcolm Noonan has served as a Green Party Councillor on Kilkenny Borough and Kilkenny County Council since 2004.
He holds an Honours Degree in Sustainable Rural Development, a degree he specifically took to inform his work in Local Government.
He served for 7 years as a director of Friends of the Earth Ireland and acted as National Local Groups Coordinator.
Having trained and worked for a time in Dublin as a Graphic Designer, he returned to his first love of gardening to set up his own landscape gardening business.
Malcolm works in community education and was one of the founding members of the Community and Voluntary Forum in Kilkenny.
He is a musician and artist who has a strong interest in the development of the arts in Kilkenny.
Malcolm has a five year old son, Colm.

If the people of Kilkenny put their trust in me again for the next five years I hope to:

• Continue my work on developing a Public Transport Service and infrastructure

• Continue to campaign for better cycle and cycle parking facilities and a full range of sustainable transport options including, park and ride facilities, walking bus, safe routes to school and the completion of the Outer Ring Road as an alternative to the Central Access Scheme

• Work to advance plans for the Susie Long Hospice in Kilkenny

• Development of a creative arts learning centre in Kilkenny based around the pool of talent in film, animation, theatre, craft, fine art, printmaking and music.

• Develop and expand local food initiatives including the farmers market, support local artisan food producers and catering outlets that use locally sourced food.

• Work to enhance the City Centre, improve the public realm, shopfronts, signage and landscaping.

• Tackle Social exclusion and poverty by working with agencies to expand social inclusion and education initiatives.

• Tackle the drugs crisis by working with the HSE, Counsellors and the Gardai to provide methadone treatment for those on waiting lists.

• Work to advance the allotments and community gardens initiative throughout the City and County

• Work towards the full integration of our many diverse communities and nationalities in our schools, employment and in civic life

• Work to develop Tourism in Kilkenny and in particular eco tourism

• Improve access and employment in the City and County for people with disabilities

• Extend the Borough Boundary to the environs of Kilkenny

• Promote sustainable rural development, rural transport, micro renewable energy and rural tourism.

• Increase participation of the wider community in local governance and decision making

• Secure a site for of a skate park and develop other Youth facilities

• Work to secure a County Museum

• Campaign for the full restoration of St Mary’s Church and Graveyard

• Develop and strengthen volunteerism and support for volunteers

• Develop an insulation programme for the elderly through Warmer Homes Scheme

• Board Member, Kilkenny County Enterprise Board

• Board Member, Kilkenny Tourism

• Board Member, Kilkenny Community Action Network (KCAN)

• Board Member Friends of the Earth Ireland (ret. 2006)

• Board Member, Loughboy Area Resource Centre (LARC)

• Member of Kilkenny County Cohesion Committee

• Member of Kilkenny County Councils Strategic Policy Committee, Environment and Fire Services

• Member of Kilkenny County Councils Strategic Policy Committee, Planning and Infrastructure

• Member of Kilkenny Borough Councils Municipal Policy Committee

• Chair of Natural Heritage Working group and Member of Kilkenny Heritage Forum

• Member of Kilkenny Sustainable Energy Forum

• Member of Kilkenny 400, Civic Celebrations Committee

• Member of St Patrick’s Day Committee

• Member of Kennyswell Mass Committee

• Member of Resource Management Group at Dept Environment.

• Member South East River Basin District Advisory Forum

• Advocacy Committee Member Susie Long Hospice Fund

• Member of Future Proof Kilkenny and Transition Towns

• Development of the Watershed Leisure Facility

• Development of Parade Project and Canal Square Project

• Upgrade of Water and Waste Water facilities in Kilkenny City and County

• Development of Woodstock Gardens

• Achieved high levels of recycling ahead of National Targets

• City Centre Local Area Plan

• More Cycle Lanes

• Development of River Nore Linear Park

• Kilkenny, ‘Best Town’ Award 2007, European Academy of Urbanism

• Completed Home Heating Scheme in all Local Authority Houses

• Addressed the problem unfinished Housing Estates

• Developed playgrounds and soccer pitches in areas throughout the City and County

• Worked with disadvantaged communities throughout the city through RAPID Programme

What have I done over the last five years?

• Successfully fought for the complete upgrade of the Purcellsinch Waste Water Treatment Plant.

• Campaigned for improvement in Kilkenny City’s Water Supply including the full implementation of EU Recommendations to Kilkenny County Council.

• Campaigned for Allotments and Community Gardens in Kilkenny.

• Helped Establish Residents Associations in New Estates

• Worked to improve facilities and employment for people with disabilities in Kilkenny

• Successfully secured record funding for the roll out of City and Environs Cycle Lanes

• Served as Deputy Mayor 2004-5

• Campaigned against the Inner Relief Road and Bridge Crossing and gave evidence to the An Bord Pleanála Oral Hearing in Dec ‘08

• Campaigned to have a County Climate Change Strategy included in the City and Environs and County Development Plan 2008-14

• Campaigned for the establishment of a County Transport Forum and Public Transport Service

• Brought policy initiatives into the City and County Development Plans in areas of energy, environment, planning, biodiversity, public procurement

• Guided Kilkenny Borough Council to become a member of the European Sustainable Towns and Cities Campaign, becoming only the fourth Irish Local Authority to do so

• Worked with other members and community to establish Kilkenny as a Fairtrade City

• Introduced Rural Housing Design Guidelines for County Kilkenny

• Campaigned for Kilkenny Local Authorities to become a member of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI)

• Campaigned for the redesign of the Fish Pass at the Lacken Weir

• Helped establish and develop the Farmers Market in Kilkenny

• Worked to re-establish St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival

• Organised Community Clean Up and Tree Planting events

• Designed Logo for Kilkenny 400 civic celebrations

• Helped to advance the 400 Fruit Tree Project and planted trees in schools

• Successfully campaigned to have renewable energy, wood chip boilers and solar panels in the new Watershed Sports Facility

• Travelled to Nicaragua in 2004 on behalf of Kilkenny Local Authorities and lived with coffee producers and established links with the Fairtrade Movement there and Kilkenny.

• Worked as a volunteer and event manager with Kilkenny Arts Festival

• Acted in an advisory capacity to Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government on Recycling issues

• Worked to improve recycling facilities and organic waste collection service and to maintain Borough Council Waste collection service

• Developed school gardens and advised schools on Green Schools initiatives

• Secured funding for and coordinated 400 fruit tree project

• Success on many planning issues on behalf of Communities throughout Kilkenny City and Count.