The 49-year-old started his political career in 2007 on the Agriculture Panel to Seanad Éireann and was later appointed Labour’s spokesperson on tourism.

In 2009 he was elected to the European Parliament before entering the Dáil in February 2011 and subsequently being appointed minister of state at the Department of Transport. In 2014 , he was elected deputy leader of the Labour Party, and later Labour’s minister for the environment.

He served as Labour leader from 2020 to 2022.

Married to Regina O’Connor from Waterville, Co Kerry, he is a father of two.

Kelly was educated in Portroe National School and Nenagh CBS, before going on - at the age of 16 - to study English and History in UCC, including a masters in politics.

He spent summers working in a meat factory to pay his way through college. He gained an MBS in eCommerce in UCD and went on to become eBusiness manager in Fáilte Ireland.