Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Gerry "The Monk" Hutch at RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin during vote counting. Alamy Stock Photo

Taoiseach says politicians need to reflect on voter 'disaffection' after Gerry Hutch's narrow loss

Harris suggested that Hutch almost received more media attention than the leaders of political parties.

SIMON HARRIS HAS said there should be reflection on people’s “disaffection” from politics after Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch narrowly missed out on being elected.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said there was a need to address the fact that Hutch won 3,096 first preference votes, placing him fourth in the four-seater Dublin Central constituency.

Transfers put him on 5,321 votes by the eleventh and final count, finishing behind Labour’s Marie Sherlock on 6,102 votes, who took the final seat.

Hutch, 61, has been described in court by a judge as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation.

He announced his surprise candidature after arriving back in Ireland following his arrest in Spain last month as part of an international investigation into money laundering.

He has reportedly been released on bail of €100,000.

Speaking at the Templemore Garda College today, Taoiseach Simon Harris suggested that Hutch almost received more media attention than the leaders of political parties.

“Hordes of people at the airport to welcome him back … criminality isn’t celebrity, it’s something that brings pain, misery and suffering to communities,” he said.

“I think for those of us in politics, I think we do need to reflect on the disaffection that sometimes people can feel from the political system, and sometimes that communities can feel from the political system.

“But the other point is he didn’t get elected, and our democracy didn’t elect a convicted criminal in the guise of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch to Dáil Éireann, and I think that is a good thing.”

He added: “I think disaffection is a big issue. I always think it’s very arrogant of a politician to tell the public why they went out and voted that way – that is for the people of Ireland.

“But I do believe that we must continue to do more in terms of engaging with communities that sometimes feel disconnected and disaffected from the political system or indeed from the State more generally.”

He said that North Inner City Taskforce and the Community Safety Partnerships were among the initiatives already under way to try to address this, but added “the work is not yet done”.

Asked about the commissioner’s concerns, Harris said: “The commissioner’s job and the job of An Garda Siochána is to continue to tighten the net on criminality in this country, and I’m sure that is where their focus will be.

“The focus of those of us in government will be on supporting the gardai in doing that job, making sure those who engage in criminal activity are where they belong and that is not in Dáil Éireann.”

Close
114 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonn
    Favourite Jonn
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:43 PM

    She can’t say how many genders there are but plans on building 50,000 houses? Yeah, sure, Holly!

    222
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:04 PM

    @Jonn: If you feel you know how many genders there are, why would you need people to tell you?

    42
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:10 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: What’s a woman? I need you to tell me.

    75
    See 13 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute donal O'brien
    Favourite donal O'brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:10 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: indeed…
    If he knows maybe he should be running in this election

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:21 PM

    @Cole Palmer: Perhaps ask some of the Chelsea women’s team. Give them a laugh.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mental Mickey
    Favourite Mental Mickey
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:27 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: 2 genders man and woman thick pants

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thesaltyurchin
    Favourite Thesaltyurchin
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:30 PM

    @Jonn: Dunno what other peoples genitals have to do with it, weird thing to bring up.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Callaghan
    Favourite Dave Callaghan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:30 PM

    @Jonn: All mammals have only 2 genders: male and female, including Humans. Of course we have effeminate men and masculine women. But yeah, just the 2 genders.

    65
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:36 PM

    @Dave Callaghan: It’s always great to hear the opinions of experts.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Callaghan
    Favourite Dave Callaghan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:45 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: Thank you! Look up this butcher ‘John Money’ he was one of the first people to popularise the term ‘gender identity’ in the ’50s.

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonn
    Favourite Jonn
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:09 PM

    @Dave Callaghan:
    Well done Dave, a buala bos and a star in your book! As for you,Brendan, you seem confused, I’ve a feeling you haven’t done your science homework again,stay back after class!

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Blaine
    Favourite Dermot Blaine
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 9:19 PM

    @J B: you can say anything in the seanad, that doesn’t make it true.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 9:23 PM

    @Dave Callaghan: It was actually Magnus Hirshfeld, a jew in Germany in the 1920s. In 1933, The ‘Nazi Youth’ group went into his institution ‘Institut für Sexualwissenschraft’ and beat up all the employees and chanted ‘Burn Hirshfeld’ in German. A few hours later, the actual Nazis came in and burned all the books to dust. Almost all the people employed there were Jews. We have to give the Jews credit for founding transgerdism. Well done Jews. If you’re wondering what happened to Hirshfeld, he fled to Switzerland and died a few years later of a heart attack.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Callaghan
    Favourite Dave Callaghan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:59 PM

    @Cole Palmer: And it resurfaced with the post-modernists in the French universities and moved on to the Frankfurt School which popularised ‘Critical Theory’ especially in the radical intersectionalist feminist movements in the 70s, 80s up to the present day Wokeness.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul M Doe
    Favourite Paul M Doe
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 11:53 PM

    Not a brain cell between those woke clowns

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute frank dowling
    Favourite frank dowling
    Report
    Nov 13th 2024, 3:43 AM

    @Cole Palmer: you hating on the 4x2s again ?

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute 087 bed
    Favourite 087 bed
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:39 PM

    Not a hope love, You have your pension now on you’re bike.

    135
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mental Mickey
    Favourite Mental Mickey
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:26 PM

    @087 bed: deluded and one of them woke lot she is

    60
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Daniel Wilson
    Favourite Daniel Wilson
    Report
    Nov 13th 2024, 10:04 AM

    @Mental Mickey: the country is on its knees but looking forward to everyone voting FFG in again for the craic, can’t be having woke people in right mental mick

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Carr
    Favourite Simon Carr
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:16 PM

    Council houses should never be owned or sold to tenants. They should be returned to public stock when the tenants die or trade up. The property tax in them should also be means tested properly as should rent on an annual basis. Also the ability of tenants to demand refurbishment or maintenance should not be a given. The system is open
    to abuse

    119
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:48 PM

    @Simon Carr: since the foundation of the state families that occupied local authorities houses have been given the opportunity to own them eventually. It not the tenants buying local authorities when they could afford them that caused the housing problems,it was FF/FG failing to fund the building of local authorities hoses. Instead they gave tax payers money to the greedy builders and developers, in the form of hands out, in other words subsidies.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lydia Mcloughlin
    Favourite Lydia Mcloughlin
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:14 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: I believe this option to buy the house is no longer available to the occupiers. I think it ceased about 8/10 years ago.

    8
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:34 PM

    @Lydia Mcloughlin: No that not true, the 1995 scheme was replaced in January 2016 to the present day scheme.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Carr
    Favourite Simon Carr
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 8:21 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: i know at least of one case where a family abused the ability to buy the house and it never was used as social housing since. I know of other cases where tenants sold on the house at huge profit and moved on. We need social housing to be social housing

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anne WG
    Favourite Anne WG
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 9:25 PM

    @Simon Carr: if social housing wasn’t a lifetime benefit, it would free up homes for people who need it most. People fall on hard times and need temporary help, not a house for life. Someone whose kids are gone and finds a decent job can stay in the same house that costs minimal rent, while other people who need it have to live in hostels or wait years to access a house that would help them kickstart a stable life. It causes massive shortage and homelessness that delays the ability to get out of poverty.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:04 PM

    @Simon Carr: it’s the old chestnut, no matter what system you come up with,they will be someone out there that will find away to abuse it. That system of giving sitting tenants the opportunity to buy worked well for decades. It gave the local authorities the chance to sell off some of the old housing stock. Less maintenance.

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:41 PM

    I’d rather vote for a coalition of Putin, The Taliban, Hunter Biden, Jeffrey Epstein and Joseph Stalin than vote for the social democrats.

    128
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex Kane
    Favourite Alex Kane
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:42 PM

    @Cole Palmer: no you wouldn’t.

    51
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:50 PM

    @Alex Kane: He probably would.

    29
    See 13 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Kerr
    Favourite Kevin Kerr
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:54 PM

    @Cole Palmer: ffs, what a plank

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Mc Carthy
    Favourite Frank Mc Carthy
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:57 PM

    @Kevin Kerr: try a bit of ‘spacing’ in between all the comments from the obvious multi account troll…. bring in chutes & Claire powers accounts for a few replys — since the landside victory of peace in the US all your accounts gone very ‘amateurish’

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ecrowley ecrowley
    Favourite ecrowley ecrowley
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:59 PM

    @Kevin Kerr: that’s unkind to wood.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Kerr
    Favourite Kevin Kerr
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:03 PM

    @ecrowley ecrowley: indeed, some might say offensive

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:04 PM

    @Kevin Kerr: I’ve seen cleverer plankton.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:07 PM

    @Alex Kane: sure in his worlds he can, up you boyho.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:09 PM

    @Kevin Kerr: I am reporting this comment to the Gardaí for online bullying and harassment.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kevin Kerr
    Favourite Kevin Kerr
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:13 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: indeed, capable of supporting life for starters

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian
    Favourite Brian
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:26 PM

    @Cole Palmer: You do know you’ll have to give them your real name..? I for one, hope you do.. and it goes before the courts.. so we can see what one of the Journal trolls looks like in real life.. go on… I dare you. Show us who you really are ‘Cole’

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:37 PM

    @Brian: You’re impersonating Brian Cowen

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian
    Favourite Brian
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:51 PM

    @Cole Palmer: Awwww.. So you won’t be reporting it to the Gardai then… just a butthurt little sunflower pretending to be a hard man behind his anonymous account. Yet again, you’re a disappointment ‘Cole’. No doubt you have a lifetime of practice behind you.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek Poutch
    Favourite Derek Poutch
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:54 PM

    @Brendan O’Brien: That would be just Gary

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Cole Palmer
    Favourite Cole Palmer
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 9:25 PM

    @Brian: did you actually think I was serious?

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute H Woo
    Favourite H Woo
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:50 PM

    Princess is mixing up genders with house building

    103
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brendan O'Brien
    Favourite Brendan O'Brien
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:51 PM

    @H Woo: You seem a bit mixed up yourself.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Louis Jacob
    Favourite Louis Jacob
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:54 PM

    @H Woo: You guys are absolutely obsessed. It’s a 24 hour ideology onslaught.

    32
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian
    Favourite Brian
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:10 PM

    @Louis Jacob: When someone drew comparisons between Hamas and the IRA, he said ‘ nobody ever voted for the IRA’ ..yet he spends his days on here trying to convince people that SF is the IRA and a vote for SF is a vote for the IRA. he’s a terribly confused individual.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jonn
    Favourite Jonn
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:12 PM

    @H Woo:
    Haha comment of the day!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Louis Jacob
    Favourite Louis Jacob
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:48 PM

    Holly will have to change party and/or constituency for the next election to have a chance… And she will.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:03 PM

    Holly and her snob party are hard to listen to _ They should have been open to enter government last time instead we landed with the Greens.

    37
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:09 PM

    @Tim Brennan: ah now Tim the woman have her principles and the parties red line issues. Also she’s a mother in waiting, adding to the great Irish race, she deserves a vote.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:28 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: Her two predecessors were quality politicians with serious substance. I was so disappointed they didn’t choose to enter into Government as they would have made a serious difference and then looney greens would have not killed us with their mad taxes and we have to drive the from Cork to Limerick for work on an absolute death trap of a road which they stopped

    29
    See 4 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:39 PM

    @Tim Brennan: I agree that Road is badly in need of serious up grade. But sure you’re buddy Michael will get that done in his election manifesto, he’s promising everything else, with our taxes.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 8:35 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: 2011 we were on our knees coping with a now 22 year non verbal autistic young man Burton nailed us to the cross attacking carers and taking away our payment seeking nail us with water charges.Only for Michael Moynihan TD FF we would have been destroyed as a family he advocated for us we have arrived at a destination were our son is in a safe residential place and able to come home to us weekly. I’m proud to vote FF. In all elections since we have never been able to vote for him Now we are in a bloody constituency with Cork city voters However I’m voting For Ken O’ Flynn and FF. So that’s my logic and I just hope Michael Moynihan gets every vote in Cork North West he’s a truly decent politician whom Michael Martin disgustingly has never rewarded for his hard work.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 9:24 PM

    @Tim Brennan: Tim again you can’t see the flaw in your thinking. We have our own water well bore hole, so we constantly pay for our domestic water and maintain it.I for one will never forget the mess FF/FG have created for the young citizens of our country, when they think €400 thousand is a affordable house price. The 14,562 people in emergency accommodation, Over 4,000 thousand children. Over €220 billion in debts to be paid by future generations. Teacher leaving the country in droves because they can’t afford the cost of housing and the high cost of living. The elderly been left sitting on chairs or on trolley in hospital’s , anything up 2 weeks waiting for an appointment to see a GP. These are the legacy’s of FF/FG. I for one won’t help to put them back in power, to screw us again.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tim Brennan
    Favourite Tim Brennan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:12 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: We all make our choices and thankfully our people will make the decision which if it’s not what I’d like I will respect my fellow citizens decision.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eoin .h
    Favourite Eoin .h
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:48 PM

    Sad truth is the vast majority will decide who they’re voting for without considering at a single policy or track record

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute FlipBip
    Favourite FlipBip
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:41 PM

    Pwease vote for meee… Nah. Beat it, missus.

    34
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jimmy Kiely
    Favourite Jimmy Kiely
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:58 PM

    Any political party that would want to go into government with FF/FG should require them to make housing an national emergency, which it is. Also housing for all should be made part of our constitution, every person need a place to call home. House price have gone from € 256 thousand to €345 thousand since FF/FG joined forces, that how bad their housing policies are. And they still give subsidies to greedy builders and developers . Stop this now, don’t give them a vote.

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheila McNulty
    Favourite Sheila McNulty
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:33 PM

    @Jimmy Kiely: so we all should get a house ?

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Penguin O'Toole
    Favourite Penguin O'Toole
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:32 PM

    They’ll stock libraries with those dirty books aimed at kids

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Hibernicus
    Favourite Hibernicus
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:37 PM

    @Penguin O’Toole: relax, when’s the last time you saw a kid reading a buke!?

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Purcell
    Favourite John Purcell
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:33 PM

    I think holly will find it tough to get elected. Only made it in on the 8th count by 500 votes

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean Stevenson
    Favourite Sean Stevenson
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 8:24 PM

    @John Purcell: Simon Harris got elected on the 15th count. She’ll be grand ya dosser.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute N D K
    Favourite N D K
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:57 PM

    Holly, you have my vote iv my mind made up, time for change give her a chance

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sheila McNulty
    Favourite Sheila McNulty
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:34 PM

    @N D K: she won’t be in Government

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Green Masquerader
    Favourite Green Masquerader
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 11:49 PM

    @Sheila McNulty: endlessly pregnant

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stiles
    Favourite Stiles
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:41 PM

    FFG are a sorry of James blunts..

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stiles
    Favourite Stiles
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 5:42 PM

    @Stiles: shower*

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:07 PM

    @james rowan: well that certainly explains a lot

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ned
    Favourite Ned
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 7:45 PM

    SocDems who are they?

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Penguin O'Toole
    Favourite Penguin O'Toole
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 6:24 PM

    Like, get real!

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ann Harman
    Favourite Ann Harman
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 8:54 PM

    Dream on

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute robbie44ish
    Favourite robbie44ish
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:00 PM

    Moving swiftly on !!! Woke much !!

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry Lamont
    Favourite Gerry Lamont
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 8:34 PM

    My Jesus! What a miserable shower of goons in that photo.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek O Gorman
    Favourite Derek O Gorman
    Report
    Nov 12th 2024, 10:39 PM

    Will be an event less short career in politics for Holly

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bertie
    Favourite Bertie
    Report
    Nov 13th 2024, 7:17 AM

    Absolutely no votes for ridiculous “Judean people’s front” parties, SD L G PBP AON, the equivalent of the UK looney party, time to move away from this madness

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sergio Reddan
    Favourite Sergio Reddan
    Report
    Nov 13th 2024, 8:09 AM

    Holly you can’t say “we want to go into government” as a minority guest and then say you have a red line – ____ or get off the pot

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds