Summer recess political awards: Tell us who you think are the winners and losers of this Dáil
Ministers met today for their final Cabinet meeting until September, while TDs and Senators packed their bags and cleared out of Leinster House for the break earlier this month.
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The reduced stream of Oireachtas-related news means
The Journal
's political team have had time to reflect on the progress of the 34th Dáil so far, and now we want to hear from you, our readers and listeners: who should be crowned the winners across our eight categories?
The winners will be announced on Thursday's episode of our politics podcast
The Candidate
. Email your answer to answers@thejournal.ie.
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The award categories:
Best Politician:
The TD or Senator, from any party, who stood out for doing their job well.
Best Newbie:
The first-time TD who has stood out most to you this term.
Comeback Kid:
The politician who is back with a bang this term.
Must-Try Harder Award:
The politician who has been missing in action this year.
Quote of The Term:
The best thing to come out of a politician's mouth this term.
Clanger of The Term:
Something said or done by a politician that was a big boo-boo, gave you secondhand embarrassment, or that you feel was utterly unparliamentary.
Row of the term:
Most bitter or zingy row of the term.
Best political moment:
The most important thing to happen in Irish politics this term.
Please submit your nominations for any or all of the categories by email to
answers@thejournal.ie
.
Make sure to include your name, age and county. Happy voting!
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The Irish Sun
9 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Feared warlord's mob ‘behind Irish aid worker kidnap' as 8 & tot, 3, still missing and latest gang talks details emerge
In a statement, the Tanaiste said he asked Haiti's Foreign Minister Harvel Jean-Baptiste 'that everything is done to ensure the release of Gena and the other hostages' ASSOCIATES of notorious Haitian gang boss Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier are believed to be behind the kidnapping of Irish aid worker Gena Heraty and eight others from an orphanage, it has emerged. The warlord, a former police officer, controls the Viv Ansanm gang, a group formed in September 2023 as a coalition of gangs between the two main factions operating in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, G-9 and G-Pep. Advertisement 5 Gena Heraty was kidnapped in Haiti Credit: Social Media Collect 5 Haitian gang boss Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier's mob is believed to be behind the plot Credit:5 Simon Harris said he has been keeping in close contact with Haiti's Foreign Minister Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire The group, based in the Kenscoff area of the city, provides a platform for criminal groups to use violence to destabilise the Caribbean country and quash actions aimed at restoring state control. Viv Ansanm has launched coordinated attacks on critical infrastructure in Haiti, including prisons, government buildings, and the main airport in Port-au-Prince as part of a campaign that, among other things, forced the resignation of former Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry last year. Thousands of people have lost their lives in gang violence in the troubled country in recent years, which shares with the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Tanaiste Simon Harris said he has been keeping in close contact with Haiti's Foreign Minister Harvel Jean-Baptiste in a bid to secure Gena's and the others captives' release. Advertisement RTE News reported that contact has been made with the gang involved in the kidnapping, with phone calls between the mobsters and intermediaries on the ground in Haiti. However, a lack of functioning government in the country has made communication difficult. The kidnapped group, which included a three-year-old child, were snatched during a violent raid on the Sainte-Helene orphanage in Kenscoff on Sunday. Gena, originally from Westport in Co Mayo, who is in her mid-50s, oversees the facility, which is about 10km southeast of the capital Port-au-Prince. Advertisement She is one of a family of 11, most of whom are living in Mayo. They have expressed their gratitude for all the prayers and support but do not wish to speak to the media at this time, while negotiations are ongoing. 'VERY DIFFICULT AND STRESSFUL TIME' In a statement, her sister Mary said the family had been assured by the Government and various voluntary organisations and charities that they are doing everything in their power to have her and the other captives released. Father John Kenny, the administrator of Westport parish, said Gena's family are 'very appreciative' of the support they have received since she was abducted from the orphanage. Advertisement He described it is 'very difficult and stressful time for everyone' He said: 'Well, we were shocked first of all to hear the news, and we kind of suspected it might be Gena because she has such a high profile in our community. FAMILY 'ON TENTERHOOKS' 'We do a lot of fundraising for her charity in her home parish, Cushlough and here in Westport, for the orphanage in Haiti. Everyone is expressing their concern and solidarity with the members of her family, who are very upset and naturally on tenterhooks.' He said he met her when she was home last autumn and visiting local schools. Advertisement Fr Kenny added: 'She met the young people there, the children who were fundraising for her cause. And you could see her beaming with energy and enthusiasm about the work she does, as opposed to looking for credit, just looking to help out the people in need in Haiti.' Communities around Westport and Ahagower have been holding prayer vigils for the safe return of Ms Heraty and those abducted along with her from an orphanage in Haiti. WHO IS WARLORD BEHIND KIDNAPPING? Photo byJIMMY 'Barbecue' Cherizier is considered the most powerful warlord in Haiti and is currently believed to be one of the country's most powerful political figures. In early March 2024, his gang staged the largest jailbreak in Haitian history and escalated attacks across the country, including an attempted siege of the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Cherizier claimed responsibility for the attacks and stated that the goal was to capture key government institutions, overthrow the unelected acting prime minister Ariel Henry and become more powerful in Haiti, warning that 'if Ariel Henry doesn't step down and the international community continues to support him, they will lead us directly to a civil war which will end in genocide.' Henry announced resigned within weeks of Cherizier's threat. Haiti has lacked a fully functioning Government since then and the criminal gangs have continued to run riot. Gang violence and kidnappings are also common in other areas in and around Port-au-Prince, where the UN says armed groups control about 85 per cent of the city. In the first half of 2025, UN figures show that almost 350 people were kidnapped in Haiti. At least 3,141 people were also killed in the same period, the UN Human Rights Office said. NPH International, a charity that works with for orphaned, abandoned, and vulnerable children in Latin America and the Caribbean, also called for the release of the hostages and said it was doing all it could can to help bring them home safely. Fr Kenny said supporters also had an opportunity to console Ms Heraty's family at a prayer service in Westport. He added: 'They were there in great solidarity and great numbers... cars were everywhere, and people were gathered and quietly prayed and met with the family afterwards. Advertisement 'The family are very appreciative of the support and very conscious that people are praying in support of them.' Fr Kenny said Gena is 'not one for the spotlight' but loves talking about her work and has always been greatly supported by the local community when raising funds for the orphanage. 'GREAT HUMAN BEING' He added: 'You could see her beaming with enthusiasm and energy around what she does, but like I said, never looking for the credit to herself but always drawing attention to herself. 'That's just the nature of the person she is. A wonderful, generous, caring and compassionate person - a great human being.' Advertisement Ms Heraty is a member of Viatores Christi, a lay missionary group which has its headquarters in Dublin. In a statement, they said she has dedicated her life 'to children and adults with disabilities through her leadership of NPFS's special needs programme'. 'PLANNED ACT' The organisation praised her 'commitment, compassion and steady presence', saying she has 'made a lasting difference to many families in the region'. 'We are thinking of Gena, her family and colleagues, and the adults and children in her care,' the statement added. 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Irish Daily Mirror
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- Irish Daily Mirror
Could Conor McGregor really become the President of Ireland?
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The Journal
an hour ago
- The Journal
Irish business ties to Haiti could be key to securing release of kidnapped missionary Gena Heraty
AS IRISH DIPLOMATS work to find a way to free aid worker Gena Heraty in Haiti, the Caribbean country remains in the grip of a gang war. Significant Irish business connections in Haiti may be the key to securing the Irish missionary's release, sources have told The Journal. There are extensive Irish interests in the region. There is also a significant presence of Irish security personnel who are working for commercial enterprises. Some of those working in the area are former members of the Irish Defence Forces and others have worked for other State agencies – they are joined by other international colleagues working in security operations. A security source said that these ties may provide the answer to resolving the kidnapping such is the extent of their presence in the area. The Journal has reported extensively on the horror in Port au Prince and across the Caribbean state. One security source in the Caribbean and Latin America region said there has been a large increase in kidnappings as it is seen as an easy earner for the gang members who are now believed to control 90% of Port au Prince and its surrounds. Irish diplomacy has a small footprint in the region and their diplomatic efforts are largely handled through the United Nations in New York. There is no Irish consulate in Port au Prince. It is understood that an Emergency Consular Assistance Team (ECAT) has not been stood up by the Department of Foreign Affairs. ECAT teams – generally made up of experienced diplomats and Defence Forces members such as the Army Ranger Wing – are sometimes sent in to trouble spots to provide emergency evacuations of Irish citizens, and can also be deployed in hostage situations. Instead the Department of Foreign Affairs is anticipated to use the Irish connections with a strong base in the area to make contact with the gangs and to find a way to free Gena Heraty. Societal collapse Port au Prince is the size of Dublin with 1.2 million people living there and most are in desperate need of humanitarian help. There has been a collapse in Haitian society in recent years as gangs seek to take over the impoverished island nation. Reports from Haiti have said that there is widespread violence which includes systematic sexual violence against, children and adult women and men. A Kenyan deployment last year of hundreds of police officers to Haiti in a US-funded and UN-backed mission to help local law enforcement secure the country has struggled to make progress. A file image of children with their faces covered marching alongside gang boss 'Barbecue' in Port-au- Prince, Haiti. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo 'Barbecue' and Viv Ansanm There are multiple gangs but the largest, Viv Ansanm, came about through an alliance between the two main factions operating in Port-au-Prince, G-9 and G-Pèp. Advertisement Last month the UN Security Council was told by Ghada Fathi Waly , Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), that 90% of Port au Prince was in control of the gangs. 'As gang control expands, the state's capacity to govern is rapidly shrinking, with social, economic and security implications. This erosion of state legitimacy has cascading effects,' Waly told the UN. The key issue is that these gangs control major trade routes and are able to turn off the supply of food and other humanitarian supplies. Kidnapping Gena Heraty was abducted along with seven others, including a three-year-old child, from the Sainte-Hélène orphanage in Kenscoff, Haiti, over the weekend. The incident saw gang leaders in the early hours of the morning breaking down a wall into her compound and seizing her and her colleagues. It not her first time being the victim of conflict in the area and Gena previously was injured in an attack. Kenscoff is located 10 kilometres to the south of the capital Port au Prince – this area of the country is controlled by Viv Ansanm. While there has been no official confirmation, multiple security sources in Haiti told The Journal that they believe it is Viv Ansanm that has taken Gena Heraty. The gang is run by a notorious Haitian war lord and former police officer Jimmy Chérizier – ominously known as 'Barbeque'. His goal is to take over the country and run it as his own state. Viv Ansanm has rifles and heavy weaponry supplied by Florida based weapons dealers – this has been confirmed by the markings on seized firearms. Jimmy Cherizier, aka Barbecue with masked gunmen in Port au Prince. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Looting of aid convoys The United Nations has said that the gang members, some of whom are armed children, have been participating in looting of aid convoys, hospitals and pharmacies. They have also been fighting pitched battles with Government and Kenyan forces – taking over largescale infrastructure such as the port and roads to the airport. The most horrific attacks have been perpetrated on the Haitian population, with mass killings against locals common as gangs move through communities. News agency AFP said the kidnapped Irishwoman, originally from Co Mayo, made connection by phone with her French based charity at the Sainte-Helene orphanage after being abducted. The facility is operated by humanitarian organisation Nos Petits Frères et Sœurs (Our Little Brothers and Sisters). That charity is headquartered in the eastern suburbs of the French capital Paris. Security sources said that this may lead to military involvement from French military special forces but noted that a mission would not be without significant risk both for the commandos carrying out the rescue and the hostages. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
