Hutch gang 'tore apart' community Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is seeking to represent says outgoing TD
Hutch landed at Dublin Airport on Monday after being freed on bail from Lanzarote’s Tachiche prison just days earlier and confirmed he will run for election.
The feud involving the Hutch gang “tore apart” the community Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is now seeking to represent, an outgoing TD has said.
Gary Gannon, the Social Democrat candidate in Dublin Central, also criticised the media for focusing on the “circus” and publicising The Monk’s Dáil bid.
Hutch landed at Dublin Airport on Monday after being freed on bail from Lanzarote’s Tachiche prison just days earlier.
READ MORE: Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch touches down at Dublin Airport - and confirms General Election plans
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He told a large pack of waiting media that he is innocent in relation to a money laundering probe into him on the Spanish island.
When asked if he was back to run in the general election, he said, “Oh, without a doubt, 100 per cent.”
It is expected that he could lodge his papers to run for election in the Dublin Central Constituency as early as Thursday.
At the launch of the Social Democrat’s election campaign, Mr Gannon, the party’s candidate in Dublin Central and an outgoing TD for the area, was asked for his opinion on The Monk’s candidacy.
He criticised the amount of attention that has been given to the matter by the media.
“In terms of my thoughts on it, my thoughts are it is not something I want to see happening,” Mr Gannon replied.
“But this only happens if it is given all the air that the media are giving it at the moment.
"We’re standing before you today giving a very strong policy platform and talking about the issues and how we would like to implement them.
“I live in a constituency that was torn apart by that feud [between the Kinahan and the Hutch gangs]. It has everyday ramifications for the people I represent.
“This only happens if you give this circus all the air that it is getting at the moment.
“Cutting across a policy platform [launch] to bring in this issue, that is what will make it happen. Regardless of what I answer here.”
Fine Gael Minister Paschal Donohoe told the Irish Mirror on Tuesday night that people in Dublin Central have “had enough of crime and criminality”.
“Fine Gael has been absolutely committed to investing in the communities of Dublin’s inner city through the NEIC [North East Inner City Initiative] to great effect.
“The nature of democracy is that anyone is free to put themselves before the people in an election. The people will then speak.
“I will continue to stand up and speak out in favour of decency and the rule of law to ensure that those same people are protected and are enabled to live the peaceful and prosperous lives they aspire to.”
On Monday, when asked about The Monk’s candidacy in Dublin Central, Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald, who is running for election in the same area, said she would not comment on people running for election.
“Of course, we have questions and commentary to make of the parties that not alone have been in government together now for almost five years, eight years, but the two parties who have been in government consistently for a century,” she said.
“But for my part, I am not making a commentary on any other individual in Dublin Central except to say that I have worked very hard for these communities, I wish to represent them again.”
At the Labour Party’s “economic and fiscal plan” launch, its candidate for Dublin Central Marie Sherlock said that it was a democracy and anyone could run for election.
She added: “I know the other public representatives and those wishing to be public representatives, what meetings they’ve been at in the inner city with people who have suffered the effects of the squandering of the last number of years.
“Whoever wants to put themselves forward can. But I know who’s representing people in the inner city and hopefully that will be reflected in the vote on November 29.”
Nominations for the election will open on Thursday and will close on Saturday.
Upon his arrival at Dublin Airport on Monday morning, Mr Hutch indicated that he would lodge his election papers promptly.
Last April Hutch was acquitted in the Special Criminal Court of the gangland murder of Kinahan cartel associate David Byrne at Dublin’s Regency Hotel.
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