Paschal Donohoe to fight against organised crime in election campaign, amid reports Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch to run in Dublin Central

Earlier this week it was reported that Mr Hutch was "more determined than ever" to run as a candidate in the upcoming election.

It comes as he was recently releasexd on bail of €100,000 after he was arrested on a suspected money-laundering offence in Lanzarote during raids on October 23.

It also emerged that Mr Hutch's hopes of standing in the General Election were key to the decision by a Spanish court to grant him bail.

Mr Hutch is believed to be eyeing up a seat in the Dublin Central constituency, where Minister Paschal Donohoe, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald, Green Party's Neasa Hourigan and Social Democrats Gary Gannon are sitting TDs.

Speaking after the publication of the report on Ireland's major infrastructure project pipeline, Minister Donohoe was asked what he thought of Gerry Hutch's potential run in his constituency.

"It's a matter for any candidate who wants to run in Dublin Central, that's up to them. They need to decide why they want to put the name on the ballot paper. But I know what case I'll be making in the general election, regardless of who the other candidates are in Dublin Central," Minister Donohoe said.

In particular, Mr Donohoe said he would be campaign against drugs and organised crime.

"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," Mr Donohoe said.

He added that he wanted to see the area put the "dark moments" in the past.

"I'm reminded of the loss of life, the trauma that communities of Dublin Central have had to endure due to organised crime," the minister said.

"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 combating this kind of harm," he said.

While it was for individuals to decide if they would run, the minister said all candidates attract some votes but said he knew what side of the argument he was on when it came to crime.

"I was down in part of my constituency a few weeks ago, and I met people and spent the evening with them that had been affected in ways that are nearly unimaginable by drugs and by crime, and I see again and again the harm that is done because of crime, because of organised crime, because of the availability of drugs and the intimidation," Minister O'Donohoe said.

"I know what side of that argument I'm on, and that's what I'll be making the case for in Dublin Central whenever the election happens, regardless of any other candidate," he added.

Meanwhile Minister Donohoe said Ireland running a budget surplus was key in offsetting any potential changes that could happen to the US's corporation taxes now that Donald Trump is set to return to the White House.

"The very reason we have been running budget surpluses that consist of additional corporate tax revenue is to get us ready for changes that could happen in the future in tax and trade. I will be making the case for continuing to run those surpluses.

"If any other political parties are saying they want to spend all of those surpluses, they need to explain to the Irish people why they're so confident those surpluses will be there, given the change that is now happening in America and elsewhere," Minister Donohoe said.