A Galway Fine Gael Minister has rejected claims that comments she made criticising the production of a three-part programme on convicted drug dealer John Gilligan were ‘opportunistic’.
Minister Hildegarde Naughton was accused by programme makers of being ‘opportunistic’ after she criticised the decision to produce a three-part series on Mr Gilligan.
She made the comments during a radio interview when she was asked for her view by a journalist.
“I fail to understand how answering a journalist’s question can be described as opportunistic,” said the Fine Gael TD.
“I was asked my views about the appropriateness of airing a documentary about a notorious gangland figure and I gave my view.”
She said that we must remember that John Gilligan is a convicted drug trafficker whose gang was responsible for the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.
“His actions have caused untold misery and devastation in communities across Ireland. Freedom of the press is very important in any democracy and John Gilligan threatened that democracy through his criminal actions.
“I would hope that any journalist involved in this programme would challenge any assertions he might make. I would not be in favour of banning anyone from the airwaves, but I would question the merit of programmes like this.”
