In an interview, to be published in Hot Press magazine, she also reveals that she’s received death threats, and was forced to take herself off social media, because of the abuse she was subjected to. She says that she would welcome a public apology for what happened in Jobstown from Paul Murphy TD, who was at the centre of the events which led to the controversial court case.

The former Labour Leader also criticises Leo Varadkar’s for not appointing enough women to his Cabinet.

She also says that she’s believes we should introduce the so-called Portuguese Model to allow for the possession of all types of drugs – be it marijuana or cocaine – for personal usage without fear of being arrested. “I just think the overall war on drugs has failed,” she tells Hot Press

Admitting that she suffers from nightmares over the Jobstown controversy, Joan tells Hot Press, “Yes, I did get flashbacks and nightmares, particularly when I read in the papers that court proceedings, about a year later, were going to be instituted. Because I had done my best, as I think people do when they’re in a situation like that, to forget it."

On Paul Murphy TD, Joan has this to say, “I haven’t ever sought to speak to him. But if he wants to reach out and apologise, he knows where I work.”

On being forced to take herself off Facebook, Joan reveals, “I effectively handed over my Facebook and Twitter to people working with me and gave them the messages I wanted up. I used to really enjoy Facebook. I just gave it up – other than for occasional announcements, comments, or photographs. I found the trolling was so offensive and horrible. I sometimes worry about the people who write that kind of stuff – about the impact it must have on them when you write hateful things.

On receiving death threats, Joan reveals “Look, it’s a casual feature of misconduct on social media: acid attacks, and death threats, and stuff like that.”

On the lack of women in Leo’s Cabinet, Joan says, “Honestly, when you look at the men in the current Cabinet and then at the women on the Fine Gael backbench, I have to say, a lot of them are as every bit as good as the men who are now gracing the Cabinet.”

And Joan adds, “Leo Varadkar has ground to make up on that issue.”

On her regrets that Labour didn’t demand the finance portfolio as part of the coalition deal with FG, Joan says, “ I feel that the leader of the Labour Party, Eamon Gilmore, should’ve taken that job himself. I think it would’ve been better for the country. He would’ve done really well in it. He might’ve also had more potential in Europe on how the deal was negotiated. In particular, we may have been able to negotiate the promissory notes earlier in relation to Anglo Irish – and that would’ve taken us out of the pit. I think Ireland made a mistake by going into a programme. The government then would argue that there was no choice, but Spain and Italy held out of going into a programme. They borrowed and they got lots of assistance.

In a wide-ranging interview with Hot Press' senior editor Jason O'Toole, Joan Burton also talks about Donald Trump; #MeToo, sexism in the Dail, and the ‘creeps' she’s come across in her career; She talks about her mother’s battle with cancer, reveals that her brother presented Bosco. And she also talks candidly about her own adoption – and why she believes we must repeal the 8th amendment.

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