Mick Clifford: We can’t silence those we disagree with — that's not democracy

Increasingly, in the current cultural milieu, there is a tendency to decide that some people must be silenced if their record or their views are deemed unacceptable, writes Mick Clifford

John Gilligan in the documentary 'Confessions of a Crime Boss'. Picture: Virgin Media

Helen McEntee was adamant this week that she would not be watching the TV documentary based on interviews with John Gilligan.

Ms McEntee is the justice minister, while John Gilligan is a career criminal with a reputation for violence and thuggery. He is also widely suspected of having ordered the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin in 1996. He served 17 years in prison for drug offences before being released in 2013.