In a wonderfully frank and extraordinarily powerful interview with Hot Press, the Minister for Training, Skills and Innovation, John Halligan, has declared his support for Simon Coveney, as the man to replace Enda Kenny as leader of Fine Gael – and to become the next Taoiseach.

The independent TD for Waterford also describes extreme pro-life campaigners as a “Mob”, likening them to ISIS terrorists; explains why marijuana should be immediately legalised for medicinal purposes; and slams a proposal, reportedly put before the Minister for Health, Simon Harris, for the repatriation costs in abortion cases involving fatal foetal abnormalities, to be paid by the State, so that the foetus can be brought back to Ireland.

Speaking to our man Jason O’Toole, the outspoken Minister – who discusses sex openly in the interview – also explains in detail why he believes prostitution should be legalised and regulated. Not to do so is “cruel”, he says.

“It is one of the great interviews,” Hot Press editor Niall Stokes said. “And that is because John Halligan says what he means and means what he says. There is no question of him ducking the questions or being diplomatic for the sake of it. Across a whole range of issues, he calls it the way he sees it. He is honest and forthright and not afraid of potential controversy. It is wonderfully refreshing exchange that really needs to be read in full."

On the subject of who should be the next leader of Fine Gael, the Waterford independent TD is clear that his preference is for Simon Coveney, currently the Minister for Planning, Housing and Local Government. He explains: “If I say to you now that I think Simon should be leader of Fine Gael – that could be a death knell for him (laughs)! The Fine Gael-ers who don’t like me – and there’s a few of them – will say, ‘Well, fuck that! We’re not voting for him’. To tell you the truth: yes, I think he would be a good leader.”

The Minister, who also calls for the 8th Amendment to be repealed, confesses that he’s been deeply hurt by attacks from the so called 'pro-life' campaign. And he describes in detail a particularly spiteful campaign against him. “I have taken legal advice on that, with the bastards – quote that if you like,” he tells Hot Press.

Again and again, Minister Hallligan refuses either to toe the line or to camouflage his true feelings. Arguing that prostitution should be legalised, Minister Halligan says: “Why would we want to fine somebody or make it a criminal offence for two consenting adults to have sex? Isn’t it a natural instinctive reaction to enjoy sex, to enjoy pleasure? I’m a healthy man and I have a good sex life, but would there not be lonely men out there? Would there not be men who have a disfigurement or who are disabled? What do they do? So, they’re told, ‘No!’ So, there’s an opportunity for them maybe to pay for it and we’re saying ‘no’! That’s cruel. For men or women, that’s cruel. So, I think, absolutely. It should be regulated."
In the course of a lengthy interview, Minister Halligan also talks about music, sex, the decriminalisation of drugs, the plight of young people in modern Ireland, the housing crisis, his discomfort at being in government and why he believes – or rather how he knows – that there is no God.

Read it in full in the new issue of Hot Press, on sale tomorrow.

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