Camera and editing: Michelle Hennessy/TheJournal.ie

LABOUR LEADERSHIP CONTENDER Alex White has admitted that it bothers him that he is well paid while making decisions which impact on those reliant on public services.

However in a wide-ranging interview with TheJournal.ie, the junior health minister has said that Labour has made the decisions it has in government “in order to ensure that we didn’t have to do worse things”.

“I believe that the extent of cuts in public services would have been much more severe if we weren’t in government,” White said.

During the course of the interview at our offices in Dublin yesterday afternoon, White spoke on several issues and answered a number of readers’ questions including one on cannabis legalisation.

He insisted it is possible that the Budget does not have to impose any more austerity on people and accepted criticism that Labour is only now starting to listen to its voters in the wake of its election performance last month.

He dealt with rival Joan Burton’s refusal to commit to including him in Cabinet if she is elected leader and also rejected claims that Labour “broke all our promises” pointing out that the party only got 19 per cent of the vote at the last election.

Watch the above video for much more with White answering several of your questions, including: 

1. Ignoring the electorate: 

2. A question from Grace Costigan who asked:

“Which three policies are the Labour Party most committed to having made into legislation?”

4. The impact of austerity: 

Questions from several readers who asked: “How has austerity affected you?”

5. Pulling out of government: 

6. And finally…

Minister: I keep an eye on cannabis legalisation in other countries (And yes, I’ve tried it) 

Alex White: Right now, a reasonable person could conclude that Kenny sacked Callinan

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