Alan Kelly

Alan Kelly (born 13 July 1975) is an Irish politician and author who has been the leader of the Labour Party since April 2020. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Tipperary constituency since the 2016 general election and a TD for the Tipperary North constituency from 2011 to 2016.

He previously served as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and Deputy leader of the Labour Party from 2014 to 2016 and Minister of State for Public and Commuter Transport from 2011 to 2014. He was a Member of the European Parliament for the South constituency from 2009 to 2011 and a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2007 to 2009.

Quotes

 * Anybody who says that power isn’t attractive is telling you a lie. Of course it is. It’s obviously a drug. It’s attractive. It’s something you thrive on. It suits some people. It doesn’t suit others. I think it suits me.
 * Irish Independent, 2016


 * I don’t judge people. Everyone’s entitled to their own religion. I respect religion. I respect people’s views. I’m not a fan of crossing over religion and politics. My mother is devoutly religious and I respect her for that. Am I a practising Catholic? I am, I suppose, to some point. There’s some very good things about all kinds of religion. Obviously, there’s loads of bad things: we’ve a lot of legacy issues in this country from religion and that needs to be dealt with. The whole sense of community that comes from Church-going is a great thing.
 * Hot Press, 2017


 * Do I believe that prostitution should be legalised? No, I don’t. I think that it would open up other issues, which could be quite dangerous for society.
 * Hot Press, 2017

About Alan Kelly

 * It is nothing if not ironic that the man that the Labour Party will most likely chose to save the day in the face of the relentless and inexorable electoral onslaught of Sinn Féin is someone who delights in his own nomme de guerre, AK47. Alan Kelly not only likes his soubriquet but relishes in his characterisation of someone who shoots from the hip, takes no prisoners and gets things done.
 * Laois Today, 2021


 * The Labour leader may have mellowed with age but the TD once dubbed AK47 still has targets.
 * The Times (Ireland Edition), 2021