Malcolm Noonan, who is Ireland’s first nature minister, has said that a dedicated role to protecting Ireland’s biodiversity is not tokenistic and has made a difference.
Mr Noonan, who was a climate activist for 20 years before becoming a councillor, mayor and TD, said that having a strong civil society is important, as is having “idealistic” politicians.
Asked whether he wonders if he is on the right side since becoming a minister, he said he sometimes feels he should be out protesting outside Leinster House, rather than being in it.
Malcolm Noonan was first elected to the Dail in the most recent general election, taking the fifth and final seat in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency.
Now the Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, he claims a shift has taken place to restore Ireland’s biodiversity, after previous poor results.
His first efforts at change saw him involved in planting projects and river clean-ups as a young man.
“I can remember being on CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament) marches in a local group in Kilkenny when I was 14 or 15 and that was the start of it really,” he said.
He became a member of Earthwatch, the precursor to Friends Of The Earth Ireland, and eventually became a director of Friends Of The Earth.
He protested on the streets and outside Leinster House, but was not interested in politics.
Eventually approached by the Green Party to run in the 2004 local elections, and held that council seat until he became a TD in 2020.
He said the council gave him a chance to merge “activist principles with practical politics, day-to-day politics”.
“It is a huge transition and it involved a very steep learning curve when I did get elected in 2004 and I found out that actually this is very different.
“I could make certain changes, very slow, incremental changes and I need to work in collaboration with people of different political backgrounds.
“You will get, and I did because of certain positions I took on certain matters, you get ostracised, you get pushed to one side and you do feel that sense of isolation at times.
“It’s quite lonely being the only Green in the village, as I was for 16 years on Kilkenny County Council.”
In an interview with PA in his office in Government Buildings, when asked whether he wonders if he chose the right path, he said: “I question that all the time.
“We’re conscious with the issue around Gaza, there’s times you feel you’d love to be out there with them.
“And at times, we feel we can’t because we’re in government, and we’re the ones that are perceived not to be doing enough.
“And that’s really difficult, I find that difficult at times.”
In his role in the three-party coalition, he said that creating Ireland’s first minister for nature was “significant” and a role that should continue in other governments.
“It’s not tokenistic, because it has been backed up with action. I would hope that it’s a title that will be held onto for future governments – I think it’s critically important.”
Almost half of Ireland’s most protected habitats are in ongoing decline, particularly marine, peatland, grassland and woodland habitats, with only 2% improving over a 12-year period.
Over half of native Irish plant species have also declined in range or abundance.
He said the National Parks and Wildlife Service had been “bolstered” under his tenure and Ireland had taken a strong position on the EU Nature Restoration Law.
“There’s often a feeling in activists who are working in the conservation-nature field that it is the poor relation of the whole climate agenda.
“The Dail did declare a climate and biodiversity crisis, but the focus has been on the climate side of it… both are inextricably linked.
“And nature offers us a lot of solutions around climate crisis as well.”
Asked how many more national parks Ireland needs, Mr Noonan said: “I can’t put a figure on the number of national parks, there are certainly areas we’re looking at that might potentially add to that network.”
He also said that the “polarised” conversation between farmers and climate was “starting to level out” in Ireland.
He said he doesn’t see how a push for biodiversity should result in a clash with farmers, saying there had been a “meeting of minds” and interest in the Life projects around Donegal and Mayo as well as the Farm Plan Scheme.
“Parish halls, community halls are filled with farmers interested in taking part, so I think the critical thing they want is certainty good advice and a steady income stream from their activities.
“I think it has to be voluntary.
“You can’t compel or force farmers to do things they don’t want to do.
“Primarily they’re running a business and not all of them are full-time farmers. They need to be able to make a living from the land.”
Asked about the Green Party’s chances in the next elections, he said: “We’ve always been a party that wants to be in government, regardless of taking a potential hit in a subsequent election.
“We have no fear of that.”
When asked if Mr Noonan is concerned about losing his seat, he said he is not.
“If I get re-elected I get re-elected, and if I don’t get re-elected, I’ll go back outside the gates – and protest,” he joked.