Gerry Hutch, also known as The Monk, has lodged his papers to stand in the General Election in Dublin Central.
He arrived at the office of the Dublin City returning officer for a preorganised meeting at 4pm.
Mr Hutch drove a scooter and was wearing a black motorcycle helmet, open at the front so his face was visible.
He entered the office and left again five minutes later without speaking to the media.
As he left, however, he held up his papers before placing them in the seat of his scooter and driving away.
Read the full list of candidates standing in Dublin Central here
Earlier, Fine Gael leader Simon Harris said it is important that Gerry Hutch is not treated like "some minor celebrity" during the election campaign.
Asked about his candidacy in Dublin city centre, Simon Harris said Mr Hutch was a person who had brought misery and criminality to the capital, "he's not a celebrity, he's a criminal".
Fine Gael's Paschal Donohoe said that he would be saying to the electorate in Dublin Central "let's put the days of organised crime behind us".
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said she "roundly" condemns Gerry Hutch or anyone "involved in crime".
Asked about Mr Hutch's candidacy, she said that it was a matter for "electoral law".
She said that if candidates from the government parties were worried about him being allowed to run in the election, then they should have changed the law.
"Crime, criminality, a feeling of not being safe in our city, low level anti-social behaviour is a reality right across the city," she said.
She accused the Government of "not getting to grips" with criminality, adding that "it's a disgrace what's going on".
Additional reporting Joan O'Sullivan and Tommy Meskill
