The Tánaiste has said he doesn’t expect to see Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch standing in the upcoming General Election.

Over the weekend, the Irish Independent reported that the convicted criminal is seriously considering running as an independent candidate in Dublin’s north inner city.

The paper said the 61-year-old, who was last year acquitted of the murder of David Byrne in the Regency hotel attack, had discussed the idea with friends, family and “influential figures in the community”.

It said he had identified a potential campaign team and earmarked Corinthians Boxing Club in Summerhill as his headquarters should he decide to run.

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is reportedly considering running in the General Election.
Reports emerged over the weekend, but Tánaiste Micheál Martin 'doubts his candidacy would materialise'. pic.twitter.com/e8fdxych63

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Speaking in Cork this morning, Tánaiste Micheál Martin poured cold water on the reports.

“I know nothing about that and I am intrigued as to the attention given to it, to be frank,” he said.

“So, I don’t really have a view on it and I doubt it will materialise.”

From left to right Dublin Lord Mayor James Geoghegan, Taoiseach Simon Harris, Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and Dublin City Taskforce Chair David McREdmond, 21-10-2024. Image: Alex Rowley/Newstalk

Should he decide to make a run for office, Hutch would likely come up against the Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe in the Dublin Central constituency.

Speaking at the launch of the Dublin Taskforce Report at the GPO this morning, Minister Donohoe said his community wants to “put organised crime and criminality behind them.”

“It is a matter for whoever wants to be a candidate in Dublin Central to put their name forward but I know when I go to the people of Dublin Central, whenever that may be, I will be making the case for law and order,” he said.

“I’ll be making the case for stability and competence in Government and I’ll be making the case for the communities in Dublin Central continuing with what they want to do, which is putting organised crime and criminality behind them.”

Armed police on duty outside the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for the trial of Gerry "The Monk" Hutch, 18-10-2022. Image: PA Images / Alamy

Growing up in inner city Dublin, Hutch received a range of criminal convictions between the early 1970s and 1983 – spending time in prison on a number of occasions.

The Criminal Assets Bureau brought proceedings against him in 1999 and during the proceedings, Gardaí said he was suspected of involvement in two major armed robberies.

He denied involvement in serious crime and eventually reached a IR£1.2 million settlement with the State body.

Despite his history, Hutch is well-liked in inner city Dublin – and the Irish Independent report claims people in the community have been encouraging him to stand.

It notes that it is not the first time he has considered a switch to politics, saying he was sounded out as a potential candidate in previous elections.

Additional reporting from Jamie O'Hara, Alex Rowley and Barry Whyte.