LAST UPDATE | 11 Nov

GERRY ‘THE MONK’ Hutch has arrived in Dublin to contest a seat in the Dáil in the upcoming general election. 

Asked by reporters at Dublin Airport if he had returned from Spain in order to launch his bid for a seat in Dublin Central, Hutch replied: “Without a doubt.”

Sitting TDs vying for reelection to the Dublin Central gave little reaction yesterday after it was confirmed that Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch planned to run for election in the competitive constituency.

BREAKING: Gerry Hutch, known as 'The Monk,' has arrived back in the country within the last hour and has reaffirmed his intent to stand in the upcoming General Election.

For more, watch #VMNews at 12:30PM on https://t.co/FHnUbnVFft pic.twitter.com/L6AOGl1iZE

— Virgin Media News (@VirginMediaNews) November 11, 2024

Gerry Hutch confirmed to the Sunday World over the weekend that he intended to run, after rumours circulated that he was planning an election bid.

“I am running,” he told the newspaper.

“I will be a candidate in Dublin Central and I will be the people’s choice. They have asked me to run, so I am running.”

Hutch – a notorious criminal thought by gardaí to be leader of the Hutch Organised Crime group – was found not guilty by the Special Criminal Court last year for the murder of David Byrne in the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016.

The gangland figure was arrested and charged in Lazarote by Spanish police investigating alleged organised crime activity last month. He was released on €100,000 bail last week.

Hutch grew up and operated for many years out of the north inner city. He is very well-known in the area, with a high public profile. His bid to run is likely to shake things up in an already hyper-competitive constituency. 

Dublin Central has four seats. The sitting TDs are Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe, Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats, and Neasa Hourigan from the Green Party. 

The constituency also has a number of high-profile candidates seeking election for the first time. Commenting on “The Monk’s” planned bid yesterday on Moore Street, Mary Lou McDonald said:

“Anybody can run in the election.

That is their prerogative. That’s a matter for himself. I’m running with my running mate, Councillor Janice Boylan.

This election is about changing the government, and we will be inviting people to vote for Sinn Fein to change the government. That’s that’s where my head and my priorities are at.

Speaking to the Irish Times, Gary Gannon refused to be drawn by the Irish Times by the impact Hutch might have.

“I’ve been knocking on doors every day for the last two months, telling them how I’ve represented the constituency of Dublin Central over the last 10 years and receiving amazing feedback,” he said.

So that’s the only campaign I’m interested in today.

Speaking last month, Paschal Donohoe said people wanted to “put criminality behind them”.

“When I go to the people of Dublin Central, whenever it will be, I’ll be making the case for law and order and I’ll be making the case for stability and competence in government,” he said.

I’ll be making the case for the communities of Dublin Central continuing with what they want to do, which is putting organised crime and criminality behind them.

Hutch has until the end of the week to officially declare his candidacy.