Gerard Hutch has been told he can remain a free man and travel freely between Lanzarote and Ireland for the time being despite being under investigation in Spain for alleged money laundering.

GERRY Hutch will spend Christmas with his family in Ireland and then return to his home in Spain in the new year to clear his name. Crime boss The Monk has told friends he will be flying back to

Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch is reportedly doing well in his Dublin Central constituency, as the election remains too close to call between the three main parties.

Newstalk’s political correspondent Sean Defoe is expecting Gerry Hutch to take the fourth seat adding, “The Monk will be a TD before all this is over”. Further down the tally, Labour’s Marie Sherlock is at 7.4%, Fianna Fáil’s Mary Fitzpatrick at 7.1% and Independent Malachy Steenson is at 4.8%.

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The independent candidate, 61, was seen running away through the Royal Dublin Society car park being followed by the media.

The protracted process of sorting and counting votes in the general election has begun, with 174 TDs set to be elected across 43 constituencies over the coming days. We will have updates across the weekend as they happen.