Independent TD Denis Naughten will not run in next election

Muireann Duffy

Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway Denis Naughten has announced he will not content the next General Election.

Mr Naughten confirmed the news with a statement on his website, explaining he has made the decision "for both personal and professional reasons".

The next General Election is due to be held in 2025.

Mr Naughten said it was time to "step back and explore new opportunities" having spent 26 years in national politics.

"I want to thank the people of counties Longford, Leitrim, Galway and Roscommon most sincerely for their support over the last quarter of a century.

"It has truly been an honour to represent the people from those counties in Dáil Éireann over that time," he added.

I have decided that I will not be contesting the next
General Election https://t.co/LZ6i1Xmm7m pic.twitter.com/pgyj1cGGV9

— Denis Naughten (@DenisNaughten) February 14, 2023

"I entered politics at a young age, in difficult circumstances, and it was always my intention to turn my hand to something outside politics.

"The time has now come for that to happen and to provide an opportunity for others to represent the people of this area in Dáil Éireann."

Mr Naughten was first elected as a senator following a by-election in 1997, taking the seat vacated by his father, Liam. He was later elected as a TD for the then Longford-Roscommon constituency in the 1997 General Election.

In 2011, having voted against the government's plans to downgrade services at Roscommon Hospital, Mr Naughten lost the Fine Gael party whip.

From 2016, he severed as minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment in the Fine Gael-Independent minority government, but resigned from the role in October 2018 due to controversy surrounding the National Broadband Plan.