TD Troy on strip joints, drink-driving and being regarded as a 'ladies' man'

In a Hot Press Interview, the Fianna Fail spokesperson for Transportation, Westmeath TD Robert Troy, confesses to drink driving in his youth – and dismisses rumours about his being a so called “ladies’ man.”
 
The 36-year-old Mullingar TD also puts forward the case for legalising marijuana, talks about Sinn Fein being in government one day, chats about visiting strip clubs, reveals all about his run-ins with Shane Ross – and talks honestly about mental health and suicide. He also reflects on the tragic loss of two of his siblings and speaks candidly about suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. 
 
The interview was conducted by Hot Press’ senior editor Jason O’Toole and appears in the Christmas Special Issue of Hot Press, which is published this week.
 
On his battles with mental health, he said:“I just literally crashed. I felt, “What is all this for?” And I felt very low. I felt inadequate. I felt that I wasn’t fit for purpose. I didn’t want to go out, more so than previously. I realised all’s not well and I went to see my GP and he made a referral to talk somebody, and I did.” 
 

Deputy Robert Troy
 
On contemplating suicide: “It would be fair to say that the thought has crossed my mind, but I’ve never taken any action on it. Perhaps – while I thought of it – deep down I didn’t really want to do it. What I would emphasise is the importance of reaching out and speaking. It doesn’t necessarily have to be with a professional but someone who will listen,” he says.  
 
On drink driving, Troy says:“I suppose, given my current portfolio as spokesperson, I’d be embarrassed to say it now. I would have, as an immature person, maybe thought it was a kind of a manly thing that I was able to manage the car and bring it home after four or five pints. It was stupid and it was immature.”
 


 On legalising marijuana, Troy states: “Look it, there’s merit in it. It would appear that there’s a lot of people fucking smoking it anyway. I don’t know, sometimes you might be better off legalising something and at least getting tax off it than not.”
 
On visiting strip clubs: “As a teenager, I went to a strip club at a friend’s brother’s stag party. What passes as fun and entertainment at 19 certainly wouldn’t pass as fun and entertainment now. Recently, I was in Amsterdam and walked through the red light district and I found it seedy and uninteresting.”
 

On Sinn Fein:“I’ve no doubt, at some stage into the future, Sinn Féin will be in government. But, as a party, we’ve taken the decision that won’t b after the next general election anyhow.”
 
On his reputation as a so-called “ladies’ man”, Robert says, “Sometimes someone’s reputation can supercede them. Put it this way, if I was with all the women I was alleged to have been with, I would have had a very exciting number of years! I’m in a relationship about two years. For most of my adult life, I’ve been in relationships.”
 
Robert Troy also talks candidly about sex, about having a gay brother, about supporting Repeal – and discusses his faith in the Hot Press interview. The full, in-depth interview can be seen in the new Hot Press, in stores from Friday 14th December.