Virgin Media accuses Galway West’s Hildegarde Naughton of being opportunistic in condemning interview with John Gilligan

Virgin Media has accused Galway West TD and Drugs Minister Hildegarde Naughton of being opportunistic in condemning the station's three-part programme on convicted drug dealer John Gilligan

The comments were made just before John Gilligan was due before a Spanish court to face drugs and weapon charges, along with his son Darren and six others 

In the last hour John Gilligan has been handed a suspended prison sentence on drug smuggling charges.

Lawyers for the 71 year old confirmed a plea bargain had been struck with prosecuters.

He admitted to smuggling cannabis and powerful sleeping pills into Ireland - and being the owner of a gun found in the back garden of his Costa Blanca home.

He was handed a 22-month suspended sentence as part of the deal.

Meanwhile The three-part programme about John Gilligan begins on Virgin Media tonight.

Minister for Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton and Veronica Guerin's brother Jimmy are among those who've expressed concerns about the show.

The programme's producer David Harvey accepts it's upsetting for the Guerin family, but dismissed Minister Naughton's response.