Former Lord Mayor of Dublin backs Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch’s right to run for the Dail

Nial Ring said he believed The Monk 'would have a lot of support' in north inner city Dublin should he throw his hat in for one of four seats in the Dublin Central constituency

A former Lord Mayor of Dublin has backed Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch’s right to run for the Dail – and predicted he’d get a lot of votes if he decides to stand.

“I 100 per cent support his or anyone else’s right to run,” Dublin city councillor Nial Ring told The Mirror last night.

Councillor Ring – who was Lord Mayor of the city in 2018 – was speaking amid fevered speculation that former criminal Mr Hutch was planning to throw his hat in for one of four seats in the Dublin Central constituency.

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Several politicians who spoke to The Mirror yesterday privately said they expected Mr Hutch, 61, to stand – but they all said he would not get a seat.

But, speaking last night, Mr Ring said he believed The Monk would get a lot of support in north inner city Dublin – where he and his family are well known.

And he defended the right of Mr Hutch to run – which would come 18 months after he was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court of the February 2016 murder of Kinahan ally David Byrne, 33, at north Dublin’s Regency Airport Hotel.

Mr Ring, who is a councillor in part of the Dublin Central constituency, said: “I 100 per cent support his or anyone else’s right to run.

“That is one of the privileges we have when living in a democracy.”

And he added he believed Mr Hutch would work hard for the inner city – if he got elected.

He said: “I am a great believer in democracy and one thing about Gerry Hutch if he was elected he would be looking after the North Inner City because his heart and soul were in it.”

Councillor Ring also said a lot of people respected the Hutch name – especially over what they suffered during the feud, a war that left 18 men dead.

Mr Hutch lost four relatives in the feud, including his brother Eddie and nephews Gareth, Gary and Derek.

He said: “There would be a lot of controversy and maybe security issues involved and I am sure he would take those into account, but if he were to go I know he would have a lot of support.

“Notwithstanding everything that has gone on, there are still a lot of people who have a lot of respect for the Hutch family and Gerry and the horrible time they went through during the feud.”

Although Councillor Ring supported Mr Hutch’s right to stand, several other politicians in the area said they believed he would not win a seat.

One said he believed Mr Hutch would stand – but would fail miserably,

He said: “I think he’s going for it.”

But when asked if he had a chance, the politician replied: “Not in a million years. The inner city is a tiny part of the electorate of the in Dublin Central.

And another said: “The numbers never lie. The numbers are just not there for him. And he is up against some serious names. He hasn’t a hope.”

The constituency stretches from O’Connell Street to Glasnevin and East Wall to Phibsboro and has four seats.

The four sitting TDs include Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, Garry Gannon of the Social Democrats, and Neasa Hourigan of the Green Party.

They are all set to stand again – and Mr Hutch would have an uphill battle to replace any of them, commentators say.

But reports at the weekend say Mr Hutch - named in court as being behind two multi-million euro heists in Dublin in the 80s and 90s and who paid a massive €1.5 million settlement to the Criminal Assets Bureau in 2001 – is considering such a move.

It’s claimed he has talked with his family, put together a campaign team and identified a boxing club in the inner city as his HQ should he run.

Mr Hutch did not respond to a request for comment last night.

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