The electoral papers included signatures of locals in the constituency – as well as digital and passport photos.
Gerry Hutch at Dublin Airport. Photo: Steve Humphreys.
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch has been formally accepted as a candidate for the general election in the Dublin Central constituency.
The veteran criminal filed election papers shortly after 4pm today and will now appear on the ballot paper.
The election papers included signatures of locals in the constituency who acted as nominees – as well as digital and passport photos.
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch pictured arriving at the Dublin City Sheriff’s office on Fitzwilliam Square where he formerly registered his candicacy for the forthcoming general election….Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
It comes as his candidacy continues to cause controversy with Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald today saying she “absolutely condemns” his election bid.
Speaking at the party’s policy launch on immigration today, Ms McDonald said she “absolutely” condemns him.
“I absolutely condemn him, I am on record… as a matter of fact, there’s nobody more on record than I in condemning that. I represent the communities that suffer because of so-called gangland warfare,” she said.
Gerry Hutch at Dublin Airport today. Photo: Steve Humphreys.
‘The Monk’ flew into Dublin on Monday from his home in Lanzarote in order to lodge his electoral papers to put himself forward to run in the Dublin Central constituency.
“I am running,” he told the Sunday World. “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 was last week released on €100,000 bail from a Lanzarote prison after being arrested as part of a money-laundering investigation.
14/11/’24 Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
The veteran criminal remains under investigation there, while the Hutch Organised Crime Gang (OCG) is a target of a number of different garda units here.
However ‘The Monk’, seen as the patriarch of the Hutch OCG, has had no convictions for crime since the 1980s and was acquitted of the Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne by the Special Criminal Court last year.
Now, he is planning to run a social media campaign due to ongoing concerns over his security and is expected to issue regular video and poster updates on his run for the Dáil.
