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JUSTICE MINISTER JIM O’Callaghan has poured cold water on the prospect of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch becoming a TD after the notorious gangland figure told supporters in recent days that he definitely intends to run again.
The Sunday World reported over the weekend that the 62-year-old has told friends and family that he plans to stand in the upcoming Dublin Central by-election, but that he does not want to formally announce his candidacy at this time.
It comes as it emerged today that the criminal investigation which led to Hutch’s arrest last October is nearing its final stages and is weeks from wrapping up.
Hutch and nine others are accused by Spanish authorities of belonging to a ‘criminal money-laundering gang’.
Any trial, if it ends up going ahead, would be unlikely to take place before the by-election, which is likely to be held in April or May.
But the timing of the end of the long-running investigation in Lanzarote could mean that when it comes around to poll day, public prosecutors will have already released their indictment calling for prison time for Hutch on conviction, if he is ordered to stand trial.
A well-placed insider who has been involved in the case said: “The investigation is nearing its end.
“Hutch could find out in a matter of weeks if there is a criminal case with formal charges laid.”
Another source added: “A trial if charges are forthcoming won’t happen any time soon but if as expected the judge rules in the run-up to Christmas or early in the New Year public prosecutors will react very soon afterwards.
“If the judge recommends charges and trial Hutch could well be going into the Dublin by-election with the real threat of prison hanging over his head.”
Asked today whether he was concerned that Hutch might win the upcoming by-election, Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan said: I don’t know who’s going to win the Dublin Central by-election. Obviously, any candidate who wants to run has to comply with the provisions set out in the Electoral Acts as to who can and can’t be a candidate.
“In terms of other issues, issues have to be resolved if you have been served with a summons by CAB and if you have a tax bill that has to be met, that has to be met.”
O’Callaghan said he did not want to get into the specifics about any individual but said the Electoral Act is “clear”.
“It doesn’t preclude somebody in his position from running as a candidate. However, there may be consequences afterwards,” said.
The Justice Minister was referring to the fact that Hutch has an unpaid tax bill of nearly €800,000, which was imposed on him by the Criminal Assets Bureau after raids were carried out on his homes last year.
The bill arises from unpaid taxes between the years 2006 to 2010.
The Electoral Act stipulates that a person is disqualified from Dáil Éireann membership if they are deemed bankrupt by the Irish State or if they are undergoing a sentence of imprisonment for any term exceeding six months.
Ahead of last year’s general election, in which Hutch unsuccessfully sought a seat in the Dublin Central constituency, he had to pay a €100,000 bail bond before he was allowed out of prison on November 4 2024.
The Irishman was one of nine people arrested during raids by police in Lanzarote and mainland Spain.
One of the properties searched was Hutch’s €450,000 penthouse in the popular Costa del Sol holiday resort of Fuengirola, where the Irishman was spotted the same day he was released after flying to Malaga from his Canaries’ home.
A judge remanded Hutch and an alleged right-hand man to prison following behind-closed-doors court appearances, but released the other seven suspects on bail.
In a statement the day of Hutch’s release, court officials said: “The Irish citizen remanded in custody in Lanzarote on October 25th as the alleged leader of an international criminal gang has been provisionally released on bail of 100,000 euros this morning, November 4th, after Court of Instruction Number Two in Arrecife upheld his appeal against the imprisonment order.
“The investigating magistrate took this decision after receiving a report from the Public Prosecutor’s Office which was favourable to the appeal.
“The Irish citizen is being investigated as the alleged perpetrator of a money laundering offence committed in the context of a criminal organisation.”
In last year’s election, Hutch came close to taking the final seat in the four-seat constituency, but was ultimately beaten by Labour’s Marie Sherlock, who benefited from the transfers of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.
With reporting from Gerard Couzens
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