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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Labour TD, Tipperary's Deputy Alan Kelly
Tipperary's Labour TD Alan Kelly, who resigned as party leader this week, has said that he is looking forward to getting on with life and with spending more time with his parents and family.
Sometimes emotional during his interview on Tipp FM radio with Fran Curry, Alan Kelly said that he is focusing the upsides of his resignation as party leader, and that he will have more time to spend with his family and enjoying leisure activities such as golf, attending hurling games and swimming.
Admitting that his political life has, at times, not been good for his health, the Portroe man said that he did not fight the call for his resignation - he accepted it immediately despite the fact that the entirety of his leadership was during the height of as global pandemic when it was very difficult to make progress or grow the party. He denied that his resignation had anything do to with an internal recruitment issue which arose recently.
His own personal ratings in the polls were steady he said, but the party has been stagnant and he wished the in-coming leader well in trying to grow the Labour support - it is thought that Ivana Bacik will be the new leader.
Deputy Kelly paid tribute to the party members in Tipperary for their unstinting support and said that he understood their frustration at him not fighting the heave against him. However, he added that having dealt with many issues through the years, including the fight for misdiagnosed cervical cancel patients, such as his friend Vicky Phelan, he had gained a different perspective on life and realised that the time had come for him to walk away and take on other challenges.
Pressed by the presenter about his political future and whether he would stand in the next General Election, Alan Kelly said that right now, it is his intention to do so, but making statements on such issues is way too soon after what has been a very emotional week.
Deputy Kelly said that he will take time out over the next week or two to recharge his batteries before going back to representing the people of the constituency and the country.
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