Naughten likely to survive after day in the dock

It was as bad a day in the office as Denis Naughten has had in more than six years.

Not since his forced departure from his beloved Fine Gael in 2011 over the downgrading of Roscommon Hospital has he had as rough a day.

It began when he woke up to the front-page story in The Irish Times which said his plans to refer the proposed takeover of Celtic Media by Independent News and Media (INM) for State adjudication were relayed to Denis O’Brien two months before they were made public.