Veteran criminal Gerry Hutch has officially thrown his hat in the ring for the Dublin Central byelection.
Hutch, who came close to winning the fourth and final seat in the 2024 general election, is among the names listed on the Dublin City Returning Officer’s website as contesting the May 22nd election.
On Wednesday, The Irish Times reported that Spanish authorities have frozen Hutch’s property assets in the country as part of a continuing money-laundering investigation into the gangland figure.
Hutch refused to detail the extent of his property holdings in advance of the byelection.
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Speaking from the Spanish island of Lanzarote, Hutch, who has made millions of euro over the years from property investments, said that he would only disclose his assets if elected, though he suggested he may be the wealthiest TD in the Dáil if he wins a seat.
In Ireland, gardaí have completed a separate investigation into allegations Hutch was in control of a criminal organisation. The Director of Public Prosecutions is considering whether he should face formal charges.
In an interview with The Irish Times in Lanzarote, Hutch said he was unconcerned about the criminal investigations and expected to be exonerated.
He said he was “not really” involved in the property business any more and that the extent of his holdings had been “exaggerated”. He declined to detail how much property he owns, but said he would disclose this information if elected to the Dáil.
“I think that’s private. If I’m elected, it’s not private,” Hutch said.
Hutch owns a number of properties in Spain. It has also been reported that he has further properties in the UK, Turkey, Hungary and Bulgaria.
TDs and councillors are required to declare their property interests once they are elected. Some rival candidates in Dublin Central have said Hutch should offer details of his property assets before the election.
Labour Party candidate Ruth O’Dea said: “Voters in Dublin Central deserve full transparency from every candidate; that includes being open about property ownership, so people can clearly see where candidates stand on housing not just in policy, but in practice.”
She said that aside from her family home she has no other property.
Another candidate, Cllr Janet Horner of the Green Party, said that for her integrity and transparency are important in politics as is “showing your principled commitment to public good”.
She is also of the view that Hutch should disclose his property assets before the election while adding: “I also think that the people who will be voting for him don’t really care.”
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Horner is the part owner of her family home.
People Before Profit candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin said Hutch should disclose what property assets he has before the election. He said Dublin Central is an “extremely difficult place to live for renters who are seeing their rents go through the roof” and “as a renter myself, I would want to know whether I am voting for a landlord or not”.
Independent candidate Mannix Flynn said his only property is his family home. He said he would call for “anybody who is running for office, who is asked to disclose their assets, to disclose them. It’s that simple. I don’t think it’s just about Mr Hutch.”
The Dáil vacancy in the Dublin Central constituency arose after Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe resigned his seat in November to take a post at the World Bank in Washington, DC.
Hutch is among six candidates who have officially filed nomination papers to enter the byelection so far. The others are Fine Gael Lord Mayor of Dublin Ray McAdam; Social Democrats councillor Daniel Ennis; Independent councillor Malachy Steenson; Mannix Flynn and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin.
Others who have declared their intention to run include Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan, Fianna Fáil councillor John Stephens and Ian Noel Smyth of Aontú.
