GERRY ‘THE MONK’ Hutch has officially registered as a candidate for the Dublin Central byelection.

His name can be seen along with five others in the list of candidates on the website of the constituency’s returning officer.

Nominations, which opened for the byelection yesterday, must be made in person. 

Candidates have until midday on 1 May to register ahead of polling day, which is Friday, 22 May.

Hutch announced his intention to run in February and had already got his campaign up and running online, posting on social media asking people to give him their first preference vote.

The Dáil seat became available when Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe left his role in government to take up a senior position at the World Bank in November last year.

The five other candidates listed on the returning officer’s website are Ray McAdam (Fine Gael), Daniel Ennis (Social Democrats), Malachy Steenson (Independent), Mannix Flynn (Independent) and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin (People Before Profit). 

Other candidates expected to be on the ballot paper are Janice Boylan (Sinn Féin), Janet Horner (Green Party), Ruth O’Dea (Labour), Ian Noel Smyth (Aontú) and John Stephens (Fianna Fáil).