Donohoe says he'll make case against organised crime amid rumours of Hutch general election run

James Cox

Paschal Donohoe has said there are likely to be some people who would vote for Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch if he does decide to run in the upcoming general election.

The Minister for Public Expenditure said it’s up to Mr Hutch to run if he wants to, adding that he will be making a case against organised crime and drugs.

Mr Donohue says the constituency of Dublin Central has suffered from trauma and loss of life as a result of crime in the area.

Mr Donohoe, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, the Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan and the Social Democrats' Gary Gannon are sitting TDs in the constituency.

“I'll be making the case for the great dangers of organised crime, for the harm that drugs have done to the communities that I represent, that I'm lucky to represent in the Dáil,” the Minister said.

Mr Donohoe added: "I'll be making the case for putting those dark moments behind us.

"For supporting the guards, for supporting communities that have been so grievously hurt by this crime... and making the case for supporting communities in combatting this kind of harm."

Mr Hutch was recently released on bail of €100,000 after he was arrested on a suspected money laundering offence in Lanzarote. The arrest was made after raids on October 23rd.

He is now free to return to Ireland and reportedly determined to run in the general election.