April 17, 2023: Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch after being freed following his court case at the Criminal Courts in Dublin.RollingNews.ie

Released from jail in Spain just last week, Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch, clad in motorcycle gear, handed in his nomination papers to stand in the general election yesterday, November 14.

On what was described as a "dark day for democracy" by one former Justice Minister, the 61-year-old later waved at the cameras before declaring: "It’s official. I’m running."

Hutch was released on €100,000 bail from a Spanish jail last week, where he is facing international money-laundering charges, having successfully argued that being detained in the country would harm his Dáil bid.

He returned to Ireland on Monday, but denied he is targeting Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald by running in the same constituency, Dublin Central, saying "any seat will do."

Taoiseach Simon Harris said Hutch had brought "misery and criminality to this capital city" and should not be treated as a "minor celebrity" but a "criminal."

After handing in his nomination papers to the returning officer to formally stand in the November 29 poll, Hutch travelled to his local boxing club, Corinthians in Mountjoy, publishing a video to a new campaign Instagram page.

Hutch, who has a number of decades-old convictions, first floated the idea that he would run in Dublin Central only a few weeks ago. Just days later, he was arrested in Spain as part of a joint operation between the Spanish and Irish authorities into money laundering.

Spanish officials confirmed he was remanded in custody and is being investigated "as the alleged perpetrator of a money laundering offence committed in the context of a criminal organisation."

On his return to Ireland on Monday, Hutch said he is not worried about the case in Spain, declaring himself "innocent."

When asked what policies he would run on and why he decided to stand for election, he said it was not the "appropriate" place to discuss that.

Asked whose seat was in danger because of his candidacy, he said: "I don’t know… any seat will do me."

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Former attorney general and justice minister Michael McDowell said that Hutch’s entry into the race is "serious" and a "dark day for Irish democracy."

Asked if he thought that Mr Hutch is in contention to win a seat, Mr. McDowell said: "Most people in Dublin Central have plenty of choices without him.

"Anyone can run, it’s for the people to decide in their common sense who to vote for."

On Thursday, Taoiseach Simon Harris said of Mr Hutch: "I think it’s important that we don’t treat this individual like some sort of minor celebrity.

"This is a person who’s brought misery and criminality to this capital city, that he’s not a celebrity, that he’s a criminal."

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said of his entry into the race: "We read in newspapers a whole range of assertions in relation to his activities and so on and I think he should be fully transparent in relation to all of that."

Political commentator Adrian Kavanagh said that his entry into the election "may" further represent a further fragmentation of the Irish political system.

His entry into the race is seen by some as a move to damage Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Ms. McDonald’s former protegé and Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall last year turned state informant in a case brought against Hutch in relation to the 2016 Regency Hotel shootings.

Hutch was sensationally cleared of involvement in the killing of Kinahan gang associate David Byrne at the north Dublin hotel, after doubt was cast on the reliability of the evidence provided by Dowdall – a convicted torturer.

In a deeply embarrassing moment for Ms. McDonald personally and Sinn Féín as a party, secret recordings were played in court where Mr. Dowdall claimed that the party had not paid due respect to the long time criminal. The Special Criminal Court heard Dowdall say of Sinn Féin: "Ya’s were good enough to use Gerard [Hutch] for votes. Ya’s were good enough to use for money."

Ms. McDonald on Thursday "roundly" condemned Mr. Hutch’s involvement in criminality.

Pressed by the Irish Daily Mail to condemn Mr. Hutch and his links to criminality in the same way both Paschal Donohoe and Mary Fitzpatrick who are also running in Dublin Central have done, Ms. McDonald said: "I absolutely condemn him. I am on record. That’s a matter of fact, there’s nobody more on record than I in condemning that. I represent the communities that suffer because of this so – called gangland warfare.

"I roundly condemn Gerry Hutch or anybody else who is involved in crime."

November 14, 2024: Mary Lou McDonald enters the Sheriff's office on Dublin's Fitzwilliam Square to hand in nomination papers for the general election. (RollingNews.ie)

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Gardaí are now gearing up for a "nightmare few weeks" ahead due to security concerns brought on by the Hutch candidacy.

A security source told the Mail: "There will obviously have to be some form of security arrangements for this man.

"On one hand you’re thinking, 'It’s not like he is going to be out knocking doors in the area,' but then you don’t know what he’s liable to do, and it’s his right to go around and seek a vote.

"If you had said to me a few years ago at the height of the [Hutch-Kinahan] feud that Gerry Hutch would be running for election, I’d have laughed in your face, but here we are."

March 19, 1999: Gerry Hutch leaving the High Court in Dublin. (RollingNews.ie)

Growing up in inner-city Dublin, Gerry Hutch’s criminal career began when he was 10. By the time he turned 18, he had more than 30 convictions including joyriding, assault, burglary, and theft, and had been in prison several times.

He has lost four relatives to gangland feuds over the years, including his brother Eddie and nephews Gareth, Gary, and Derek.

In Dublin Central, Hutch will compete against Ms. McDonald, Paschal Donohoe of Fine Gael, the Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan, and Garry Gannon of the Social Democrats, all of whom were elected in 2020.

*This article was originally published on Extra.ie.