Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch will get first preference of 8 per cent of voters – poll

Just 8 percent of people said they would consider voting Hutch No. 1 if he ran in their constituency.

Last month it was reported that the offender, 61, was considering running as an Independent candidate in Dublin’s inner north city when the country goes to the polls.

He is then likely to run against incumbent Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan and Social Democrat TD Gary Gannon.

Irish Think Survey: The Hutch Question

Hutch is understood to have discussed the possibility of his name being announced with friends and relatives, but has not discussed the matter publicly.

But 88 percent of people said they wouldn’t consider voting for Hutch.

Another 5 percent of people said they were unsure about voting for him.

Of those who said they would consider voting for Hutch, 22 percent said they were Aontú voters.

20 percent of those who said yes were independent voters.

Sinn Féin supporters made up 10 per cent of those who said they would consider voting for Hutch.

The survey of 1,832 people was conducted by Ireland Thoughts between 1-2 November with a margin of error of +/-2.3%.

Hutch was detained in Spain late last month after being arrested in connection with a money laundering investigation.

He was among nine people who appeared in court in Lanzarote, where an investigating judge ordered two leaders of a criminal gang to be held without bail. After the hearing, it was understood that Hutch was among those detained.

A confidentiality order has been issued in the case, meaning minimal information is publicly available.

Last year, Hutch was acquitted of the 2016 murder of David Byrne in Dublin’s Regency Hotel.

He later left Ireland for Spain, where he owned a number of properties.

The latest Sunday Independent/Ireland Thoughts poll has revealed that Fine Gael is still the most popular political party with voters, with the election just weeks away.

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris (53 per cent) remains the political leader with the highest approval rating, ahead of Micheál Martin (48 per cent) and Mary Lou McDonald (33 per cent).

When asked who they would vote for in the general election, more than a quarter (26 per cent) said Fine Gael, a fifth (20 per cent) said Fianna Fáil and 18 per cent said Sinn Féin.

The general situation of the other parties is as follows: Fine Gael 26 (-), Fianna Fáil 20 (+1), Sinn Féin 18 (-1), Social Democrats 6 (-), Labor Party 4 (-1), Aontú 3 (-1) , Green Party 4 (-), Solidarity-PBP 2 (-) Independents/Other 16 (-).