16 Facts About Denis Naughten

Denis Naughten was appointed Chair of the Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands in September 2020.

Denis Naughten previously served as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment from 2016 to 2018.

Denis Naughten was a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from January 1997 to June 1997.

Denis Naughten was elected as a Fine Gael TD but sat as an independent from July 2011, having lost the Fine Gael parliamentary party whip.

Denis Naughten was educated at 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.

Denis Naughten's father, Liam Naughten, was a Fine Gael TD and Senator.

Denis Naughten's brother, John Naughten, was a Fine Gael county councillor.

Denis Naughten was a member of Roscommon County Council and the Western Health Board from January 1997 to October 2003.

Denis Naughten declined to stand in the party's leadership election in 2002, having at first indicated an interest in standing.

Denis Naughten was Spokesperson on Agriculture from 2004 to 2007.

Denis Naughten was Spokesperson on Immigration and Integration from 2007 to 2010.

Denis Naughten voted against the government's decision to close the Roscommon County Hospital emergency department on 6 July 2011.

Denis Naughten lost the Fine Gael party whip the following day.

Denis Naughten 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.

Denis Naughten stood for election for Ceann Comhairle at the first sitting of the 33rd Dail on 20 February 2020, but was defeated by Sean O Fearghail.

Denis Naughten was named by Leo Varadkar as Leas-Cheann Comhairle on an acting basis due to a deferred election caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.