Gerry “The Monk” Hutch has confirmed he will stand in the forthcoming Dublin byelection and take his seat in the Dáil if elected.
The veteran criminal told reporters he will put his name forward in the Dublin Central constituency for the seat vacated by former minister for finance Paschal Donohoe, who has joined the World Bank.
The byelection is due to be held on May 22nd.
In the 2024 general election, Hutch (62) finished fifth in the four-seat constituency, losing out to Labour’s Marie Sherlock on the last count.
Hutch confirmed he will stand during a press call to promote The Monk, a one-man play about his life written and performed by Rex Ryan, which begins at the Ambassador Theatre next week.
“It will be similar to the last time, but there will be a few extra things,” Hutch said of his election run. He claimed that this time around he will have the issue of vote transfers, which led him to lose out in 2024, “covered”.
Others who have already declared they will stand in the byelection include Dublin city councillors Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats, the Green Party’s Janet Horner, Independent Malachy Steenson, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin of People Before Profit and Aontú’s Ian Noel Smyth.
Hutch is currently being pursued for almost €800,000 by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) and Revenue. That demand was served on him recently after a Cab-led inquiry determined he owed the money arising from allegedly undeclared income between 2006 and 2010.
He will be able to run and also take a seat in the Dáil, if he wins, due to a gap in the law obliging newly elected TDs to have their tax affairs in order before taking their seats.
The Standards in Public Office Act 2001 introduced a tax clearance requirement for members of the Dáil.
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and actor Rex Ryan ahead of the theatre production of ‘The Monk’ in the Ambassador Theatre, Dublin. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins Photo Agency
Due to the tax demand, Hutch would not be in a position to secure a tax clearance certificate from the Revenue Commissioners.
However, the Standards in Public Office Commission (Sipo) has confirmed to The Irish Times that, despite the legislation, a newly elected TD’s inability to produce a tax clearance would not block them taking their seat. If they could not produce the certificate in time, they would not be unseated.
Should he win the Dublin Central byelection, Hutch would need to make a declaration within one month of the election that he is tax compliant. Within a maximum of nine months, like all newly elected TDs, he would need to produce a tax clearance certificate.
In reply to queries, Sipo said it could place such a TD under investigation for their non-tax compliance. A report arising from such an investigation would be compiled and given to the Committee on Members’ Interests of Dáil Éireann. The report would also be laid before the Dáil.
Hutch was arrested in Lanzarote in October 2024 as part of a money laundering inquiry. He was released on bail of €100,000 the following month. Though he remains under investigation there, that does not block him from running in the byelection.
In 2023, Hutch was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne (33), who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel, Dublin, in 2016.