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Alan Kelly Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

Alex White says he smoked cannabis in college, but what about this Labour minister?

Labour deputy leadership hopeful Alan Kelly faced questions on cannabis smoking today after Alex White told TheJournal.ie that he inhaled in college.

JUNIOR TRANSPORT Minister Alan Kelly has said that not only has he never smoked cannabis, he’s never smoked anything.

The Labour deputy leadership candidate was responding to questions about the issue of cannabis legalisation in the wake of leadership contender Alex White’s disclosure to TheJournal.ie this week that he smoked cannabis when he was in college.

“Not alone have I not smoked cannabis, I’ve never actually smoked. I despise smoking, it’s my pet hate,” Kelly told reporters in Dublin today.

“And to be honest with you, I really, really despise smoking, to a degree that anyone who knows me personally knows that it’s the one thing I completely and utterly hate. So no, I have never smoked anything in my life.”

Alex White talks about cannabis to TheJournal.ie earlier this week: 

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Kelly said he has “no problem” with White being honest about his past experiences saying it’s a matter for individuals.

“That’s their own business. But I have no real opinion on whether people should or shouldn’t announce that they do these things,” he added.

Kelly, who is the bookies’ favourite for the deputy leadership role, also said he did not concur with White’s contention that based on what is currently known a “reasonable person” could conclude that the Garda Commissioner was sacked by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in March.

Kelly said: “I think there is a defined process in relation to how a Garda Commissioner leaves their role.

“We all know what that is, and while I’m not at Cabinet so I can’t disclose what went on, and nor would I anyway, but I am not privy to that. I have to take the bona fides of the Taoiseach and indeed others at face value.”

- with reporting from Aoife Barry 

VIDEO: Alex White on how austerity affects him and whether Joan Burton hurt his feelings

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29 Comments
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    Mute Damocles
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    Feb 10th 2017, 10:42 AM

    Can we have some snow? Not for me, I hate the stuff. For the kids.

    71
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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Feb 10th 2017, 10:58 AM

    On Saturday only. Completely melted by Monday morning!

    82
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    Mute Ryan Hardy
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    Feb 10th 2017, 11:23 AM

    Nah I’m off next so it can stick lol

    13
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    Mute Damien Duffy
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    Feb 10th 2017, 11:47 AM

    Is happily take 3 months of snow if it meant we got a decent summer.

    54
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    Mute Mrs parrott
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    Feb 10th 2017, 11:53 AM

    Me too

    22
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    Mute Paul Heffernan
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    Feb 10th 2017, 1:06 PM

    In Connecticut at the moment, 16″ of snow yesterday and then down to -13C last night…can’t wait to get home to a balmy -3C!!

    48
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    Mute Old Gordon
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    Feb 10th 2017, 12:45 PM

    We’ve been getting the odd whispers of snow all day in Dublin. It’s cold alright.

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    Mute The Edge
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    Feb 10th 2017, 11:29 AM

    In english, it means that we’ll see from hard ground frost on a cold winters morning.

    18
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    Mute Veroníca
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    Feb 10th 2017, 3:56 PM

    It’s a tad cold in cork but nothing major like…

    13
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    Mute Daithí Ó hAoláin
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    Feb 10th 2017, 1:51 PM

    At high noon in Berlin today it was -10° with wind chill. Wouldn’t mind -3° right now!

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    Mute Michael Lynch
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    Feb 10th 2017, 12:35 PM

    That stuff on the side of the car looks like it came out of a can.

    11
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    Mute Shawn Rahoon
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    Feb 10th 2017, 2:18 PM

    Hi all from the Sunshine State. Chilly here today with a miserable 23c, Sunday 28c Brrrrrr.

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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Feb 10th 2017, 3:15 PM

    @Shawn Rahoon: Fahrenheit? :P

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    Mute Pat Patovic
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    Feb 10th 2017, 11:53 PM

    -3 is severe frost? Is this article some early warning for visiting Somalians?

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    Mute Nasir Saeed
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    Feb 10th 2017, 4:45 PM

    i belive wen i see it

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    Mute Nasir Saeed
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    Feb 10th 2017, 4:46 PM

    is that fake snow on the car

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    Mute Thomas O' Donnell
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    Feb 10th 2017, 8:07 PM

    Nah. Just a clerical error.

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