GERRY ‘THE MONK’ Hutch appears to be well in contention for a Dáil seat in Dublin Central.

That’s according to the final tallies of first preference votes in the four-seat constituency, which have Hutch in fourth place on 9.3%.

He’s up against high-profile candidates: Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who is on 19.4% in tallies, Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael (16.6%), and Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats (13.2%).

Not far behind Hutch are Labour’s Marie Sherlock (7.4%) and the Green’s Neasa Hourigan (6%).

Tallies also have Independent candidate Malachy Steenson on 4.8%, while Independents for Change candidate Clare Daly and People Before Profit candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin both on around 4%.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror at the RDS today, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said Hutch’s candidacy was unexpected, but put his popularity is down to media attention and long-held hurt in the community.

“He got a lot of media with his announcement, that’s going to be expected,” said Gannon.

“For me, it’s not just about what happens and who takes the fourth seat. I think it’s a reflection of the fact that there’s a lot of hurt, there’s a huge amount of pain.”

He said years of austerity “destroyed the fabric of communities”, including those in Dublin Central.

“I appreciate what the headlines will be today and tomorrow, but I do encourage everybody to go beyond them and look deeper, because when people are hurting to the extent that they are in some of the communities that I represent, or the length and breadth of Ireland, you’re going to see outcries of that.

“It’ll manifest in different ways and I think we’re seeing one manifestation of that today.

Gannon said he doesn’t believe support for Hutch is a “protest vote” against the government, but rather a “cry for help” – “not help from that individual (Hutch), [but] from the State that has neglected them”.

“Those communities have been torn apart. There are three generations of families living under one roof. There’s an inability to access basic services,” he said.

“Don’t ask them to act in a normalised expectation of behaviour, because that’s not going to happen. We’ve seen the results of that today.”

A notorious gangland figure believed by gardaí to be the leader of the Hutch organised crime group, Hutch was arrested and charged in Lazarote by Spanish police investigating alleged organised crime activity last month. 

He was subsequently released on €100,000 bail and registered his candidacy, giving his profession as “consultant”.