View source for Denis Naughten

{{Short description|Irish former politician (born 1973)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image         = Denis Naughten 2016.jpg
| caption       = Naughten in 2016
| office        = Chair [[33rd Dáil|Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands]]
| term_start    = 15 September 2020
| term_end      = 8 November 2024
| predecessor   = [[Fiona O'Loughlin (politician)|Fiona O'Loughlin]]
| successor     = 
| office1       = [[Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment]] 
| taoiseach1    = {{ubl|[[Enda Kenny]]|[[Leo Varadkar]]}}
| term_start1   = 6 May 2016
| term_end1     = 11 October 2018
| predecessor1  = [[Alex White (Irish politician)|Alex White]]
| successor1    = [[Richard Bruton]]
| office2       = [[Teachta Dála]]
| term_start2   = [[2016 Irish general election|February 2016]]
| term_end2     = [[2024 Irish general election|November 2024]]
| constituency2 = [[Roscommon–Galway (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–Galway]] 
| term_start3   = [[2007 Irish general election|May 2007]]
| term_end3     = [[2016 Irish general election|February 2016]]
| constituency3 = [[Roscommon–South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–South Leitrim]]
| term_start4   = [[1997 Irish general election|June 1997]]
| term_end4     = [[2007 Irish general election|May 2007]]
| constituency4 = [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]]
| office5       = [[Seanad Éireann|Senator]]
| term_start5   = 28 January 1997
| term_end5     = 6 June 1997
| constituency5 = [[Agricultural Panel]]
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1973|6|23|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Drum, County Roscommon|Drum]], [[County Roscommon]], Ireland
| death_date    = 
| death_place   = 
| party         = [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| otherparty    = [[Fine Gael]] {{small|(until 2011)}}
| spouse        = {{marriage|Mary Tiernan|1999}}
| children      = 4
| father        = [[Liam Naughten]]
| education     = [[St. Aloysius College, Athlone]]
| alma_mater    = {{Ubl|[[University College Dublin]]|[[University College Cork]]}}
| website       = {{URL|denisnaughten.ie}}
|}}
'''Denis Naughten''' (born 23 June 1973) is an Irish former [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]] politician who served as a [[Teachta Dála]] (TD) for the [[Roscommon–Galway (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–Galway]] constituency from [[2016 Irish general election|2016]] to [[2024 Irish general election|2024]], and previously from 2007 to 2016 for the [[Roscommon–South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–South Leitrim]] constituency and from 1997 to 2007 for the [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]] constituency. He was appointed Chair of the [[33rd Dáil|Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands]] in September 2020. He previously served as [[Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment]] from 2016 to 2018. He was a [[Seanad Éireann|Senator]] for the [[Agricultural Panel]] from January 1997 to June 1997.<ref name=oireachtas_db>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Denis-Naughten.S.1997-01-28/|title=Denis Naughten|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=6 October 2009|archive-date=12 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190212011743/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Denis-Naughten.S.1997-01-28/|url-status=live}}</ref>
 
He was elected as a [[Fine Gael]] TD but sat as an independent from July 2011, having lost the Fine Gael parliamentary [[Whip (politics)|party whip]].<ref name=IT_07072011/>

==Family and early life==
Naughten was born in [[Drum, County Roscommon|Drum]], [[County Roscommon]], in 1973. He was educated at [[St. Aloysius College, Athlone|St. Aloysius College]], [[Athlone]], [[University College Dublin]] and [[University College Cork]], where he studied for a PhD in Food Microbiology, but did not complete it.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/interview-denis-naughten-has-his-work-cut-out-with-tricky-portfolio-1.2887796|title=Interview: Denis Naughten has his work cut out with tricky portfolio|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |access-date=26 May 2018|archive-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180527023657/https://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/interview-denis-naughten-has-his-work-cut-out-with-tricky-portfolio-1.2887796|url-status=live}}</ref> His father, [[Liam Naughten]], was also a [[Fine Gael]] TD and Senator.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McQuinn |first1=Cormac |title=Denis Naughten announces he will not contest next general election |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2023/02/13/denis-naughten-announces-he-will-not-contest-next-general-election/ |access-date=19 November 2024 |work=The Irish Times |date=13 February 2023 |language=en}}</ref> His brother, John Naughten, was a Fine Gael [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|county councillor]].<ref>{{cite news |title=The late John Naughten 'was a true gentleman, who always had a smile on his face' - News - Roscommon Herald |url=https://www.roscommonherald.ie/news/the-late-john-naughten-was-a-true-gentleman-who-always-had-a-smile-on-his-face_arid-33880.html |access-date=19 November 2024 |work=Roscommon Herald |date=5 October 2024 |language=en}}</ref>

==Political career==
Naughten was elected at a by-election to [[Seanad Éireann]] in 1997, to the seat vacant since the death of his father. Following, the [[1997 Irish general election|1997 general election]], he was elected to [[Dáil Éireann]] as a Fine Gael [[Teachta Dála|TD]] for the [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]] constituency and was re-elected at the [[2002 Irish general election|2002 general election]].<ref name=elecs_irl>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4348|title=Denis Naughten|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=6 October 2009|archive-date=3 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203042217/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4348|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also a member of [[Roscommon County Council]] and the [[Health Board (Ireland)|Western Health Board]] from January 1997 to October 2003.

Within his first few weeks in the Dáil, he became Fine Gael Spokesperson on Youth Affairs, School Transport and Adult Education. Between 2000 and 2001, he served as Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Naughten declined to stand in the party's [[2002 Fine Gael leadership election|leadership election]] in 2002, having at first indicated an interest in standing. He was later appointed Spokesperson on Transport. He was Spokesperson on Agriculture from 2004 to 2007.

He was re-elected at the [[2007 Irish general election|2007 general election]] for the new constituency of [[Roscommon–South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–South Leitrim]]. He was Spokesperson on Immigration and Integration from 2007 to 2010. In June 2010, he supported [[Richard Bruton]]'s [[Enda Kenny#2010 leadership challenge|leadership challenge]] to [[Enda Kenny]]. Following Kenny's victory in a motion of confidence, Naughten was not re-appointed to the front bench. In October 2010, he was appointed Deputy Spokesperson on Health, with special responsibility for Primary Care and Disability.

He was re-elected at the [[2011 Irish general election|2011 general election]]. He voted against the government's decision to close the [[Roscommon County Hospital]] [[emergency department]] on 6 July 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0706/roscommon.html|title=Naughten votes against Govt on hospital motion|work=[[RTÉ News]]|date=6 July 2011|access-date=6 July 2011|archive-date=9 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809005953/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0706/roscommon.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/naughten-votes-against-govt-in-roscommon-hospital-dail-motion-511794.html|title=Naughten votes against Govt in Roscommon Hospital Dáil motion|work=[[Irish Examiner]]|access-date=6 July 2011|archive-date=23 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923040036/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/naughten-votes-against-govt-in-roscommon-hospital-dail-motion-511794.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He lost the Fine Gael party whip the following day.<ref name=IT_07072011>{{cite news|title=Naughten loses Fine Gael whip|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0707/breaking8.html|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=7 July 2011|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-date=17 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117120749/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0707/breaking8.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30511928.html|title=FG rebel Naughten ejected from coalition|work=[[Irish Examiner]]|date=7 July 2011|access-date=7 July 2011|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921054649/http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/fg-rebel-naughten-ejected-from-coalition-511928.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 13 September 2013, he and six other expellees formed the [[Reform Alliance (Ireland)|Reform Alliance]], described as a "loose alliance" rather than a [[political party]].<ref name="journal1081578">{{cite web|url=http://www.thejournal.ie/fine-gael-rebels-reform-alliance-1081578-Sep2013/|title=The politicians formerly known as the Fine Gael rebels are now the Reform Alliance|publisher=TheJournal.ie|date=10 September 2013|access-date=15 September 2013|archive-date=15 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130915011759/http://www.thejournal.ie/fine-gael-rebels-reform-alliance-1081578-Sep2013/|url-status=live}}</ref> He was re-elected for [[Roscommon–Galway (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–Galway]] at the [[2016 Irish general election|2016 general election]].

Naughten was appointed as [[Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment]] in [[Taoiseach]] [[Enda Kenny]]'s Fine Gael/[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]] [[minority government]] after [[2016 Irish government formation|two months of negotiation]] following the 2016 general election. He later resigned from this post on 11 October 2018, following controversy surrounding a series of meetings he attended with the leading bidder for his department's National Broadband Plan that occurred during the project's procurement process.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/denis-naughten-resigns-following-broadband-controversy-1.3660218|title=Denis Naughten resigns following broadband controversy|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=11 October 2018|language=en}}</ref> He was succeeded by [[Richard Bruton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/1013/1002915-minister-appointments/|work=RTÉ News|title=Bruton named Minister for Communications, McHugh named Minister for Education|date=13 October 2018|access-date=13 October 2018|archive-date=13 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013140720/https://www.rte.ie/news/2018/1013/1002915-minister-appointments/|url-status=live}}</ref>

He stood for [[2020 Ceann Comhairle election|election for Ceann Comhairle]] at the first sitting of the [[33rd Dáil]] on 20 February 2020, but was defeated by [[Seán Ó Fearghaíl]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thejournal.ie/sean-o-fearghail-has-been-re-elected-ceann-comhairle-of-dail-eireann-5015115-Feb2020/|title=Seán Ó Fearghaíl has been re-elected Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann|date=20 February 2020 |access-date=20 February 2020|archive-date=20 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220143102/https://www.thejournal.ie/sean-o-fearghail-has-been-re-elected-ceann-comhairle-of-dail-eireann-5015115-Feb2020/|url-status=live}}</ref> Naughten was subsequently named by [[Leo Varadkar]] as [[Leas-Cheann Comhairle]] on an acting basis due to a deferred election caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/leas-cheann-comhairle-election-deferred-until-next-week-990258.html |title=Leas Cheann Comhairle election deferred until next week |newspaper=Irish Examiner |date=26 March 2020 |access-date=24 April 2020 |archive-date=28 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328000028/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/leas-cheann-comhairle-election-deferred-until-next-week-990258.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/varadkar-asks-naughten-to-fill-role-of-leas-cheann-comhairle-as-temporary-measure-990021.html |title=Varadkar asks Naughten to fill role of Leas-Cheann Comhairle as temporary measure |newspaper=Irish Examiner |date=25 March 2020 |access-date=24 April 2020 |archive-date=2 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402135043/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/varadkar-asks-naughten-to-fill-role-of-leas-cheann-comhairle-as-temporary-measure-990021.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 13 February 2023, he announced that he would not contest the [[2024 Irish general election|next general election]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Denis Naughten announces he will not contest next general election |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/oireachtas/2023/02/13/denis-naughten-announces-he-will-not-contest-next-general-election/ |access-date=13 February 2023|newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan=7|Elections to the [[Dáil]]
|-
! colspan=2|Party
! colspan=2|Election
! {{abbr|FPv|First Preference votes}}
! {{abbr|FPv%|First Preference votes percentage}}
! Result
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
| [[Longford-Roscommon (Dáil constituency)#1997 general election|Longford-Roscommon]]
| [[1997 Irish general election|1997]]
| 6,652
| 14.1
| '''Elected''' on count 7/8
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
| [[Longford-Roscommon (Dáil constituency)#2002 general election|Longford-Roscommon]]
| [[2002 Irish general election|2002]]
| 6,660
| 13.4
| '''Elected''' on count 8/10
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
| [[Roscommon-South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)#2007 general election|Roscommon-South Leitrim]]
| [[2007 Irish general election|2007]]
| 8,928
| 19.4
| '''Elected''' on count 4/4
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
| [[Roscommon-South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)#2011 general election|Roscommon-South Leitrim]]
| [[2011 Irish general election|2011]]
| 9,320
| 19.6
| '''Elected''' on count 6/6
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent Alliance (Ireland)}}
| [[Roscommon-Galway (Dáil constituency)#2016 general election|Roscommon-Galway]]
| [[2016 Irish general election|2016]]
| 13,936
| 30.5
| '''Elected''' on count 1/8
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
| [[Roscommon-Galway (Dáil constituency)#2020 general election|Roscommon-Galway]]
| [[2020 Irish general election|2020]]
| 8,422
| 18.5
| '''Elected''' on count 5/6
|-
|}

==See also==
*[[Families in the Oireachtas]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website}}

{{s-start}} 
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Mildred Fox]]}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[Baby of the House#Ireland|Baby of the Dáil]]
       |years  = 1997–2002}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Damien English]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before = [[Alex White (Irish politician)|Alex White]]|as=Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources}}
{{s-ttl|title  = [[Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment]]
       |years  = 2016–2018}}
{{s-aft|after  = [[Richard Bruton]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Roscommon–South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Roscommon–Galway (Dáil constituency)/TDs}}
{{Members of the 20th Seanad}}
{{30th Government of Ireland}}
{{31st Government of Ireland}}
{{Ministers for the Environment of Ireland}}
{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Naughten, Denis}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Cork]]
[[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]]
[[Category:Fine Gael TDs]]
[[Category:Independent TDs]]
[[Category:Members of Roscommon County Council]]
[[Category:Members of the 20th Seanad]]
[[Category:Members of the 28th Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 29th Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 30th Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 31st Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 32nd Dáil]]
[[Category:Members of the 33rd Dáil]]
[[Category:Fine Gael senators]]
[[Category:Ministers for the environment of Ireland]]
[[Category:People from County Roscommon]]
[[Category:Agricultural Panel senators]]
[[Category:Fine Gael local councillors]]