Denis Naughten

Denis Naughten TD
Teachta Dála
Incumbent
Assumed office May 2007
Constituency	Roscommon–South Leitrim
In office June 1997 – May 2007
Preceded by	Tom Foxe
Constituency	Longford–Roscommon
Senator
In office January – June 1997
Constituency	Agricultural Panel
Personal details
Born	23 June 1973 (1973-06-23) (age 38)
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Fine Gael (1997–July 2011) Independent (since July 2011)
Spouse(s)	Mary Tiernan
Children	3
Alma mater	University College Dublin, University College Cork
Website	www.denisnaughten.ie

Denis Naughten (born 23 June 1973) is an Irish politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Roscommon–South Leitrim constituency.^[1] He sits as an independent TD, having lost the Fine Gael parliamentary party whip in July 2011.^[2]

Education

Naughten was born in Drum, County Roscommon. He was educated St. Aloysius College, Athlone, University College Dublin and University College Cork where he did a research project in Food Microbiology.

Political career

Naughten was elected at a by-election to Seanad Éireann in 1997 to the seat vacant since the death of his father Liam Naughten. At the 1997 general election he was elected to Dáil Éireann for the Longford–Roscommon constituency and was re-elected at the 2002 general election.^[3] He was also a member of Roscommon County Council and the 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 Opposition spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Although indicating that he might, Naughten declined to stand in the party's leadership election in 2002. He was later appointed spokesperson on Transport. He was party spokesperson on Agriculture from 2004–2007.

He was re-elected at the 2007 general election for the new constituency of Roscommon–South Leitrim. He was party spokesperson on Immigration and Integration from 2007–2010. In June 2010, he supported Richard Bruton's 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 as party Deputy spokesperson on Health with special responsibility for Primary Care and Disability.

He was re-elected at the 2011 general election. He voted against the government's decision to close the Roscommon County Hospital emergency department on 6 July 2011.^[4][5] He lost the Fine Gael party whip the following day.^[2][6]

He is also a member of the AWEPA Governing Council.^[7]

Family

His father, Liam Naughten, was also a Fine Gael TD, who served between 1982 and 1989.

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas

References

1. ^ "Mr. Denis Naughten". Oireachtas Members Database. http://oireachtas.ie/members-hist/default.asp?housetype=0&HouseNum=30&MemberID=809&ConstID=221. Retrieved 6 October 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Naughten loses Fine Gael whip". The Irish Times. 7 July 2011. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0707/breaking8.html. Retrieved 7 July 2011. 
3. ^ "Denis Naughten". ElectionsIreland.org. http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=4348. Retrieved 6 October 2009. 
4. ^ "Naughten votes against Govt on hospital motion". RTÉ News. 6 July 2011. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0706/roscommon.html. 
5. ^ "Naughten votes against Govt in Roscommon Hospital Dáil motion". Irish Examiner. http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/naughten-votes-against-govt-in-roscommon-hospital-dail-motion-511794.html. Retrieved 6 July 2011. 
6. ^ "FG rebel Naughten ejected from coalition". Irish Examiner. 7 July 2011. http://www.examiner.ie/breakingnews/ireland/fg-rebel-naughten-ejected-from-coalition-511928.html. Retrieved 7 July 2011. 
7. ^ http://awepa.org/index.php/en/about-us/organisational-structure/governing-council.html

External links

• Official website

Oireachtas
Preceded by Tom Foxe (Independent)	Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Longford–Roscommon 1997–2007	Constituency abolished
New constituency	Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Roscommon–South Leitrim 2007–present	Incumbent
Honorary titles
Preceded by Mildred Fox	Baby of the Dáil 1997–2002	Succeeded by Damien English

Persondata
Name	Naughten, Dennis
Alternative names
Short description	Irish Fine Gael politician
Date of birth	23 June 1973
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death