CRIMINAL mastermind and election hopeful The Monk gave onlookers a thumbs up as he was seen driving his “Hutch mobile” through Dublin’s inner city.
Gerry Hutch was encouraging people to “vote number one” for him as he cruised around.
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is running in the Dublin Central constituency[/caption]
Hutch showed no fear for his life as he was out canvassing[/caption]
The Monk urged people to get out and vote[/caption]
The white van, complete with loudspeakers and a massive Hutch campaign poster, has been seen blaring Thin Lizzy’s hit song The Boys Are Back In Town.
Pausing at intervals, it announced: “Vote number one, people’s choice, Hutch number one, get out and vote.”
The Monk is running in the Dublin central constituency, opposing Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fine Gael Minister for Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, and former MEP Clare Daly, among others.
Earlier this month, Hutch made his Dail run official by lodging his election papers.
The notorious gangster showed no fear for his life as he stepped out to the Dublin City Sheriff’s office on Fitzwilliam Square last Thursday afternoon to register his candidacy.
The Monk was arrested in recent weeks in Spain on money laundering charges but managed to pay €100,000 bail and was released from custody.
He confirmed his plan to try take a Dail seat in the election after landing at Dublin Airport last week, telling our reporter: “Any seat will do me!”
Election rival Paschal Donohoe previously said he wants the constituency to “put the days of organised crime behind us” and is urging voters to remember the impact it has had on the area in recent years.
He said: “We want to send out a clear message regarding the impact of crime and organised crime and the harm that it does.
“I am making a very positive argument about how we can move forward and move forward to a future in which the awful, awful damage that drugs and organised crime has done to the people that I am lucky enough to represent so we can lessen that and put it behind us.
“Which is why this particular election in Dublin Central has added importance.”
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald also hit out at the Monk when asked about his election run.
She said: “I roundly condemn Gerry Hutch or anybody else who is involved in crime and in particular those that bring the misery and the heartache of drug addiction, drug enslavement, drug debt and all of the violence that stems from that.”
She added: “If he qualifies to run for election that is his business but crime and criminality and the feeling of not being safe in our city, low level anti-social behaviour is a reality right across this city.
“And by the way those parties in government have not got to grips with it. It is a disgrace what’s going on in Dublin’s inner city and everybody who lives in the inner city knows that.”
The Monk – who is on bail for alleged money laundering offences in Spain – has revealed how his campaign will centre around homelessness and housing.
Hutch also claimed that he has been “an unofficial politician” in his community for the last 40 years.
He said: “I’ve always had a bit of a politician in me over the years, mediating with people, helping people, and doing stuff like that.
“I’ve been a politician the last 40 years, in the community, an unofficial politician.”
The Monk was recently arrested in Spain as part of a money laundering probe[/caption]
