Denis Naughten appointment as Minister for Communications means the Agricultural Ministry remains within Fine Gael.
ADVERTISEMENT
Former Fine Gael Agriculture spokesman Denis Naughten had been linked with the Agriculture and Rural Affairs posts.
However the decision to appoint him as Minister for Communications was announced on Friday evening after the Dáil’s fourth vote for Taoiseach.
The Roscommon-Galway TD was elected to the Seanad in 1997 before being elected to Dáil Eireann the same year.
ADVERTISEMENT
Naughten was expelled by Fine Gael after losing the party whip over the closure of services in Roscommon hospital in 2011.
The 42-year-old, whose father Liam was a Fine Gael TD, has also served as spokesperson for Transport for the party.
With 70 days of negotiations and four Dáil votes, Enda Kenny was re-instated as Taoiseach Friday afternoon, with Naughten and the Rural Alliance prominent players in the talks.
Crucially for rural dwellers, Naughten will not be in charge of the roll-out of broadband across the country. When confirming cabinet appointments on Friday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced that this would now be the responsibility of Heather Humphreys's expanded Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
Former Fine Gael Agriculture spokesman Denis Naughten had been linked with the Agriculture and Rural Affairs posts.
However the decision to appoint him as Minister for Communications was announced on Friday evening after the Dáil’s fourth vote for Taoiseach.
The Roscommon-Galway TD was elected to the Seanad in 1997 before being elected to Dáil Eireann the same year.
Naughten was expelled by Fine Gael after losing the party whip over the closure of services in Roscommon hospital in 2011.
The 42-year-old, whose father Liam was a Fine Gael TD, has also served as spokesperson for Transport for the party.
With 70 days of negotiations and four Dáil votes, Enda Kenny was re-instated as Taoiseach Friday afternoon, with Naughten and the Rural Alliance prominent players in the talks.
Crucially for rural dwellers, Naughten will not be in charge of the roll-out of broadband across the country. When confirming cabinet appointments on Friday, Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced that this would now be the responsibility of Heather Humphreys's expanded Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS