LAST UPDATE | 21 Oct

MINISTER OF STATE for Public Expenditure Pascal Donohoe has said that the people of Dublin want to put criminality behind them, in response to questions about the possibility of an election campaign by Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.

“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.

“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,” he said. 

Tánaiste Mícheál Martin, when asked about the possibility at an event in Cork today, said that he “doubted it would materialise”.

“I’m intrigued as to the attention given to it to be frank, so I don’t really have a view of it,” he said.

Sources familiar with the activities of the Hutch grouping had mixed views, with some considering the rumours to not be credible, and others believing there was a chance Hutch would run.

It was reported this weekend that Hutch was considering declaring his candidacy in the Dublin Central constituency, with the aim of unseating Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Sinn Féin’s former councillor, Jonathan Dowdall, gave evidence against Hutch in the trial over the Regency Hotel attack.

Dowdall made statements implicating Hutch in the murder of David Byrne, but these were later found by the court to be false.

The attack was a significant escalation in the feud between the rival Hutch and Kinahan gangs. David Byrne, an associate of the Kinahans, was killed in the attack. It is believed that Daniel Kinahan, a leading member of the Kinahan gang, was the intended target.

Last year, Hutch was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court of organising the attack. 

With reporting from Niall O’Connor.