In the new Hot Press Fianna Fáil's Mary O'Rourke talks frankly about her career in politics.

The straight-talking TD tells Jason O'Toole how she's managed being a woman in the male-dominated world of politics, and the sexism she's encountered: “God, Fianna Fáil is male! Male! Male! Male! In the past, there was loads of sexism. ‘You know your place!'”

But, strong-willed as ever, O'Rourke didn't let herself be taken advantage of by bullying politicians, demanding a Seanad appointment from Bertie Ahern and refusing to let him back down on his commitment:

"I said to Bertie, ‘I want two things: I want you to give me a Seanad seat and I want you to make me leader of the Seanad’. He said, ‘Alright... alright!’ Then time went on and the Seanad election was going on. I went in to see him to reinforce the commitment. And I had it out with him then; I said to him, ‘You know, you did me!’ He said, ‘Ah, don’t be going on with that old talk, Mary!’ But I know he did it!

"Anyway, he said, ‘Would you consider going around the country and getting the Seanad votes?’ I said, ‘What?! You told me on the telephone – and I’ve witnesses to it – that you’d put me in. I’m not going around the country. Everybody knows that you told me that you were giving it to me! If you don’t give it to me, you’ll know what for!’ So, he did. He said, ‘OK! Ok! But give up that old talk you’re going on with!’ Ah, I really stood up to him that day in the office."

O'Rourke also speaks about her family's heavy involvement in politics – with her two nephews Brian and Conor Lenihan enjoying ministerial positions – and says she was inspired to run for office by watching the late Eamon De Valera speak:

“I remember one time (Eamon) De Valera gave a great big speech in the market square in Athlone and then he came down to my father’s house afterwards. I knew they were all talking about mysterious, wonderful things – and I was going to be part of that mystery. No matter how, I was going to be involved”.

And with trademark honesty, she confides that she felt the media overreacted to her 'work like blacks' comment: “There was nothing wrong with that now!" she insists, "They’re all talking about Obama being black now as if it was white, you know? ‘They work like blacks!’ Of course they do! They were worked very hard.”

She also jokes that Hot Press will ask her about her orgasms, as mid-'80s Minister for Women's Affairs Nuala Fennell was once slagged mercilessly by her fellow TDs when she spoke about orgasms in a legendary Hot Press interview, now available online here.

That, plus what she thinks of would-be Taoiseach Enda Kenny (we'll give you a hint – it's not glowing praise!), why Albert Reynolds axed her for being "gabby" and more on her fascinating life in politics, all in the new Hot Press, in shops now.