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Independent TD Stephen Donnelly has smoked cannabis and even attended a strip club.

Although he insists on not getting a lap dance, the former Social Democrat co-leader said that like other politicians, such as former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, he has tried some drugs.

Asked if he tried weed, the 41-year-old said: "I have smoked, yes. I have, but that’s all the detail I’m going to go into."

When asked if he ever tried harder drugs such as cocaine, the TD replied: “I’m just not going to go down any of those lines.”

But the Wicklow TD is open to legalising marijuana.

"I’d like to find a way to decriminalise small quantities of weed. If a grown adult wants to grow a herb and then smoke it, and there are no negative consequences for other people, then they should be allowed to do that," he said.

"However, any such approach would have to be done in the context of medical research showing that smoking weed as a minor can lead to longer-term mental health challenges.

"It would also need to be done mindful of ‘drug tourism’ – a la Amsterdam – which is not something we want here."

(Image: Collins Photo Agency)

The UCD graduate also discussed losing his virginity and attending a strip club in his youth, during his interview with Hot Press.

Mr Donnelly said he has been to a strip club, but that he wasn't too keen on getting a lap dance.

He said: "I found it a deeply uncomfortable experience. I didn’t like the vibe. There’s something just wrong about it. I don’t fundamentally get the concept of a lap dance! I’ve never had one, by the way – and I never would!

"I just don’t get it. I think men look like awful eejits sitting there (laughs)."

He added that chasing women was very important for him when he was younger, losing his virginity at 19, but that he "wasn’t terribly successful" with the ladies.

"Having a big mop of red hair and a big mouth did not necessarily equip me the best. But, yes, obviously, as with any other teenage boy, it certainly occupied a reasonable amount of my brain," he joked.

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