DAVE McSavage reckons Gerry Hutch will win a Dail seat as voters give a “f*** you” to the politicians.
Ex-Fine Gael minister turned podcaster Ivan Yates has complained about the “media fascination” with The Monk and dismissed his chances of winning.
But comedian McSavage told us: “I think Hutch will get elected.
“People are bored with the same candidates saying the same things.
“They’re frustrated and then someone like Gerry Hutch comes along.
“I think there will be a number of people who will vote for him as a protest – as a f*** you to politicians.
“I don’t look to politicians for any moral guidance and I don’t think anyone should.
“I don’t know Gerry Hutch. Maybe he has come out the other end of his life and reformed. He now wants to be a better version of himself.”
Dave, 58, comes from a political dynasty. His father, David Andrews, was a Fianna Fail heavyweight who served as Foreign Affairs Minister.
His brother Barry Andrews is an MEP and cousin, Chris Andrews, is a Sinn Fein TD.
The former Savage Eye comic has lampooned The Monk on his Instagram show in a ‘Make Ireland Deadly Again’ sketch.
And he doesn’t think it will be a problem if Hutch gets elected in Dublin Central and turns up to take his seat in the Dail.
McSavage said: “Maybe for the first day or two — then it will all settle down to business as usual. He probably will make Ireland deadly again.”
McSavage revealed how The Monk rated his mickey-taking promo as really supporting his bid for the Dail.
The spoof features Hutch making promises on the election trail saying: “I won’t be taking bulls**t, it won’t be taking nods and winks, they’ve been in for years and they haven’t done their jobs.”
This contrasted with soundbites from Taoiseach Simon Harris, Fianna Fail’s Micheal Martin and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and ended with the message ‘Make Ireland Deadly Again’ with a picture of Hutch.
Just hours after posting, Dave was shocked when Hutch’s official Insta account answered with: “Brilliant. Thanks for the support. Let’s Rock The House.”
A shocked Dave replied: “Thank God, you have a sense of humour.”
Dave told The Irish Sun: “The Monk reckons I am voting for him when I probably won’t vote for anyone.
“But I’m not scared, because he does seem to have a sense of humour.
“But can you imagine The Monk coming to your door asking for your vote? You’d see it’s The Monk and go ‘Oh Absolutely! Of course you can have my vote.’
Gannon: I’m nun the wiser
By BARRY MORAN
ELECTION candidate Gary Gannon has revealed his mum used to threaten that the nuns would get him if he misbehaved.
Social Democrats hopeful in Dublin Central Gannon said: “I was raised right here on the top floor of a flat complex that no longer exists – 57 Mountainview Court.
“To look over our balcony was to look upon Ireland’s last remaining Magdalene Laundry.
“I remember my ma telling us that if we didn’t behave, the nuns were going to come get us – because that’s the consequence she grew up with.”
Gary added: “In the decades since, I’ve watched people of courage fight to unclench us from that grip of intolerance. We must continue the fight.”
“And if The Monk asked, ‘Do
you have any problems in the neighbourhood?’ You could say, ‘Yes. I don’t like my neighbour two doors down.’
“And The Monk would say ‘Do you want me to have a word with them?’ He’d sort it out.”
Despite the cordial exchange between the two men, the stand-up has no plans to put The Monk on the guest list when Dave plays Dublin’s Olympia next January 24.
DAIL RULES
However, Hutch is in danger of having to give up his Dail seat if he is elected.
Under the rules of the Oireachtas and the constitution, no member can sit in the Dail if they are serving a current jail sentence of six months or more.
The head of the Hutch Organised Crime Group is currently out on bail and facing serious money laundering accusations in Spain.
If he is charged and convicted by the authorities in Lanzarote, he will be facing a jail sentence of six months to six years plus a fine three times the value of the assets he was laundering.
Hutch was given bail of over €100,000 so he could return home to stand in the General Election.
ACQUITTAL
He had been mostly living in Lanzarote since he was released from jail over 18 months ago after his acquittal at the Special Criminal Court for the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne. He had pleaded not guilty.
It could take prosecutors on the Canary Islands at least a year before deciding if The Monk has a case to answer.
They are investigating where he got the cash to pay for a number of rental holiday homes and apartments that he owns in Lanzarote.
Hutch denies any wrongdoing and claims it is all paid for by legitimate income.
Si’s woes hit home
SIMON Harris has defended his Government’s record on housing.
And the Fine Gael leader said he expects prices to fall when around 50,000 to 60,000 homes a year are being built.
CSO figures show that house prices increased by ten per cent in the 12 months to September.
And Department of Housing figures show there were 14,760 people in emergency accommodation at the end of September.
Harris said: “It is not right that we saw the highest social houses since the 1970s last year and that did not make an inroad on homelessness.”
There is no love lost between Hutch and the Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou, a rival in the Dublin constituency.
A Sinn Fein source said: “We definitely have not carried out any private polling but we do not believe Gerry Hutch is a danger to Mary Lou McDonald’s seat.
“The ironic thing is if he is charged and then convicted in Spain and the sentence is more than six months, he will have to resign his Dail seat if he is elected under the Constitution and then be sent to Spain to go to jail. There will be some fun and games then.
“But the voters should know what the rule is before they elect him.”
There is no issue with people with previous criminal convictions serving in the Dail.
