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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.
Michael Creed has been appointed Minister for Agriculture
Details of new Rural Affairs ministry emerges from cabinet reshuffle
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