Politics

Roscommon will benefit from new Government, Naughten says

Minister claims county will become ‘a far, far better place’ at homecoming event

Independent TD Denis Naughten at Government Buildings, Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
Independent TD Denis Naughten at Government Buildings, Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
James Fogarty in Roscommon
Sun May 08 2016 - 15:34

Newly appointed Minister for Communications, Climate Change, and Natural Resources Denis Naughten has told his supporters that the new programme for government has "Roscommon- Galway written all over it".

The Independent TD was appointed as Minister following a deal on the formation of a Fine Gael-led minority government.

At his homecoming in Hannon’s Hotel in Roscommon town on Saturday night, Mr Naughten promised that health services within his constituency would see significant improvement.

He said that if the programme is implemented, Roscommon-Galway would be a “far, far better place.

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“We want to ensure that we get a fair share of the cake, not anymore than anyone else gets.

“Because we didn’t get that up till now. We have been a forgotten county; we have been a forgotten constituency.”

Hundreds of people turned out to welcome the new Minister as he toured the constituency.

Climate change was referenced by his supporters more than once.

“I hope Denis will tell Danny Healy-Rae that it’s not God who controls the climate, it’s Denis Naughten who controls the climate,” one supporter said.

“I’m a scientist by profession,” Mr Naughten said. “I know the information that is there, it’s something that I have always had a huge interest in.

“This is something that every single parent has a huge interest in. For our children, we want to leave our environment in a far better condition than we received it in.

“At the moment we’re not going to do that. We have a huge body of work to do.

Rural economy

Mr Naughten said many things can be done both to stimulate the rural economy and tackle climate change, and that Bord na Móna and Coillte will be key to such efforts.

The Minister acknowledged wind turbines are controversial and expressed support for further public consultation on the matter.

He also expressed support for additional sources of renewable energy alongside solar and wind, and said he will be working closely with the ESB, Bord na Móna and Coillte in developing a new energy agenda.

Mr Naughten was expelled from the Fine Gael parliamentary party in July 2011 after he voted against the government on the closure of Roscommon Hospital's emergency department.

He was first elected to the Dáil in 1997. He sided with Richard Bruton in the failed heave against Enda Kenny in 2010.