Harry McGee on Denis Naughten, a vastly experienced TD who left Fine Gael over Roscommon Hospital downgrade
He built up a large support base in South Roscommon, which remained intact as the constituency changed from Longford-Roscommon to Roscommon South-Leitrim to Roscommon-Galway.Naughten distinguished himself as a policy person and he, along with Richard Bruton, produced many of Fine Gael’s policy papers during three terms in opposition that lasted 13 years. His interest in science informed much of his thinking.His relationship with his then party leader Enda Kenny was complex.
Becoming an Independent did not impact on his electoral popularity in Roscommon, which had a long tradition of electing non-party TDs. His stance on the hospital was widely supported. By contrast, his former Fine Gael colleague, Frank Feighan, shipped a lot of abuse and antagonism for backing the plan.
Naughten was one of a small number of Independent TDs who supported the minority Fine Gael government after the 2016 election yielded an uncertain result. This saw him appointed as minister for communications, climate action and environment as he and Kenny repaired their relationship.
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