Simon Harris speaks out about Gerry Hutch's close election defeat: 'Criminality isn't celebrity'
The Taoiseach said 'hordes of people at the airport to welcome him back... criminality isn't celebrity, it's something that brings pain, misery and suffering to communities'
Taoiseach Simon Harris has said there should be reflection on people's "disaffection" from politics after Gerry Hutch narrowly missed out on being elected.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said there was a need to address the fact that Mr Hutch - nicknamed 'The Monk' - won 3,096 first preference votes, placing himself fourth in a four-seater Dublin Central constituency. Transfers put him on 5,321 votes by the eleventh and final count, finishing behind Labour's Marie Sherlock on 6,102 votes, who took the final seat.
Dubliner Mr Hutch, 61, has been described in court by a judge as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation.
He announced his surprise candidature after arriving back in Ireland following his arrest in Spain last month as part of an international investigation into money laundering. He has reportedly been released on bail of 100,000 euro.
READ MORE: Jubilant Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch sings and dances in wild video
Speaking at the Templemore Garda College on Friday, Taoiseach Simon Harris suggested that Mr Hutch almost received more media attention than the leaders of political parties.
"Hordes of people at the airport to welcome him back... criminality isn't celebrity, it's something that brings pain, misery and suffering to communities," he said.
"I think for those of us in politics, I think we do need to reflect on the disaffection that sometimes people can feel from the political system, and sometimes that communities can feel from the political system.
"But the other point is he didn't get elected, and our democracy didn't elect a convicted criminal in the guise of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch to Dail Eireann, and I think that is a good thing."
He added: "I think disaffection is a big issue. I always think it's very arrogant of a politician to tell the public why they went out and voted that way - that is for the people of Ireland.
"But I do believe that we must continue to do more in terms of engaging with communities that sometimes feel disconnected and disaffected from the political system or indeed from the State more generally."
He said that North Inner City Taskforce and the Community Safety Partnerships were among the initiatives already under way to try to address this, but added "the work is not yet done".
Asked about the commissioner's concerns, Mr Harris said: "The commissioner's job and the job of An Garda Siochana is to continue to tighten the net on criminality in this country, and I'm sure that is where their focus will be.
"The focus of those of us in government will be on supporting the gardai in doing that job, making sure those who engage in criminal activity are where they belong and that is not in Dail Eireann."
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