Profile: Denis Naughten (Ind)

Independent polltopper in Roscommon-Galway, Naughten took almost one-third of the vote. A former Fine Gael TD, in July 2011 just weeks after the election he lost the party whip for voting against the party in motions on cuts to emergency services at Roscommon Hospital. In 1997, Naughten won his first general election seat and secured a second seat for the Fine Gael in the Longford/Roscommon constituency. He was re-elected in 2007 in the constituency of Roscommon/South Leitrim and held several front bench positions for the party in opposition, in the areas of immigration, agriculture, transport and employment. In 2013, he was part of the group which formed the Reform Alliance. From Drum, Co Roscommon, he is the son of the late Liam Naughten, a Fine Gael TD and Senator. He is married to Mary Teirnan and they have four children. – OLIVIA KELLY