Politics

Neasa Hourigan reveals she twice took cocaine as she calls for decriminalisation of all drugs

Green Party TD opens up about her party leadership ambitions in wide-ranging interview with Hot Press magazine

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan: 'I tried it twice and I liked it so much I didn’t try it again, and that’s a scary thing,' she told Hot Press magazine. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Fiachra Gallagher
Thu Mar 21 2024 - 19:55

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan has opened up about her history of drug-taking, revealing she twice took cocaine.

“I tried it twice and I liked it so much I didn’t try it again, and that’s a scary thing,” she said.

“I didn’t like myself on it. It was like a hyper version of myself. It gave me a fright.”

Ms Hourigan also revealed that she has taken ecstasy in the past, stating that it “wasn’t a big thing” for her.

READ MORE

“It didn’t change my life or anything. I wasn’t looking for it every weekend ... I’ve tried lots of different things.”

In a wide-ranging interview in Hot Press magazine published on Thursday, Ms Hourigan backed the decriminalisation of “every single illegal drug”, including heroin and cocaine.

“I don’t think you should criminalise somebody who is taking a drug,” she said.

She said that the Government should legislate for the fact that “a high percentage of people” use marijuana in a safe way.

Ms Hourigan also revealed her ambitions for leadership within the Green Party, but admitted that the party “could be decimated” in the next general election.

She said she would have no issue with going into government with Sinn Féin.

“If people are democratically elected, you have to accept what the populace returns. If they return a huge vote of confidence in Sinn Féin, then we have to take that seriously,” she said.

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher is an Irish Times journalist

LATEST STORIES