Pre-deceased by his parents Michael and Mary, twin sister Marie and brother Chanel; Mr Byrne passed away peacefully following a short illness, most bravely borne, while in the care of staff at University Hospital Limerick.
His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving and devoted wife Ann, daughter Holly, son Michael, grandchildren Mason and Rhiann, son-in-law Adam, daughter-in-law Papiya, brothers Paul, Dixie, Sean and Noel, sister Ena, aunt Ina Hughes, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.
For those persons who would wish to attend Requiem Mass for Mr Byrne, but for reasons cannot, same can be viewed streamed live online, HERE.
The extended Byrne family wish to express their appreciation for your understanding at this difficult time, and have made arrangements for those persons wishing to send messages of condolence, to use the link shown HERE.
Credit cards offer convenience and security, but behind the attractive offers and easy spending, lies a costly financial reality. Are Irish consumers sufficiently protected?
Credit cards are useful for online shopping, emergencies and managing short-term expenses. However, high interest rates, minimum repayments and additional charges can quietly turn everyday purchases into long-term debt.
In Ireland, credit card providers operate under consumer protection rules, but understanding the risks remains essential.
The Minimum Repayment Trap. According to Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), minimum monthly repayments are generally around 2% – 5% of the outstanding balance. Paying only this amount may keep your account up to date, but interest continues accumulating.The CCPC illustrates that a €1,000 balance at 17% interest, with monthly repayments of €50, takes approximately two years to clear. Increasing repayments to €100 reduces this to around 11 months.
Consumer Tip: Pay your balance in full whenever possible, or substantially more than the minimum.
High Interest and Hidden Charges. The CCPC reports that Irish credit card interest rates can range from approximately 13% to 22.9%. Additional charges may include late payment fees, foreign currency transaction fees and cash withdrawal charges. Ireland also imposes an annual €30 government stamp duty on credit card accounts, collected by card providers on behalf of Revenue.
Consumer Tip: Compare Annual Percentage Rates (APRs), examine fees and avoid withdrawing cash using credit cards.
Rewards That Encourage Overspending. Cashback, loyalty points and promotional offers can encourage spending beyond genuine needs. A reward worth €10 is hardly beneficial if obtaining it requires an unnecessary €500 purchase!
Consumer Tip: Never buy something simply to qualify for rewards. A higher credit limit is not additional income.
The Interest-Free Period Misunderstanding. Many Irish credit cards offer an interest-free period of up to approximately 56 days. However, this generally depends on paying the full amount owed by the deadline. Paying only part of the balance may trigger interest on purchases from their transaction dates.
Consumer Tip: Read promotional terms carefully and arrange automatic repayments.
What Protection Do Irish Consumers Have? Ireland’s strengthened Central Bank Consumer Protection Code 2025, effective from 24th March 2026, places statutory obligations on regulated financial providers to safeguard customers’ interests. These include requirements concerning fair treatment, effective consumer information, responsible product design and support for vulnerable customers. Consumers also have important avenues for redress: CCPC: Independent information, comparison tools and consumer guidance. Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO): Free, independent complaints resolution after raising the issue with the provider. MABS: Free, confidential budgeting and debt advice. Chargeback: Consumers may be able to dispute eligible card transactions through their provider. The Way Forward: Protection Through Awareness Irish regulators have strengthened consumer safeguards, but regulation alone cannot prevent every financial mistake or unsuitable borrowing decision. Greater financial education, transparent pricing, responsible lending and proactive monitoring of harmful financial practices remain important. Credit cards should provide financial flexibility, not financial dependency. The safest approach is simple: borrow only what you can repay, monitor your spending and understand every charge.
Should Irish banks be required to do more to prevent consumers becoming trapped in long-term credit card debt?
Gardaí are seeking the public’s help in tracing the whereabouts of Ms Nicole Brennan Soltys, aged 16 years who was reported missing from Bansha, Co. Tipperary since Monday 12th October 2026 last.
Nicole is described as being approximately 5 feet 3 inches in height (160.02cm), with blonde hair, a nose piercing, and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black puffer jacket and green/grey leggings in Clonmel town, Co. Tipperary on the afore mentioned date (Monday 12th October 2026)
Gardaí are seriously concerned for Nicole’s well-being.
Anyone with information on Nicole’s whereabouts is asked to contact Clonmel Garda Station, Tel: (052) 617 7640, the Garda Confidential Line Tel: 1800 666 111, or indeed any Garda station.
Pre-deceased by her sister Aoife, grandparents William and Bridget Collins, Thomas and Mary White, uncles Maurice and Liam Collins; Ms Collins passed away unexpectedly at her place of residence.
Her passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her sorrowing family; loving and heartbroken parents Denis and Joan, sister Róisín and partner Colum, aunts, uncle, cousins, extended relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends both in Ireland and Scotland.
Rest In Peace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The remains of Ms Collins will repose at her family home, Dromtrasna Collins, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick (Eircode V94 A6YT), on Sunday afternoon next, 18th October from 2:00pm until 4:30pm. A private service of cremation will take place at Shannon Crematorium, Illaunmanagh, Shannon, Co. Clare, (Eircode V14 PV30), on Monday afternoon, October 19th 2026, at 4:00pm with family and close friends only in attendance.
The Cremation Service can be viewed on the Shannon Crematorium website by using code SCH4
Note please: House strictly private at all other times.
Record Garda numbers nationally are welcome, but previous allocations to County Tipperary raise serious questions about whether local communities are receiving adequate policing resources.
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Mr Jim O’Callaghan has welcomed the attestation of 207 new Gardaí at the Garda College in Templemore, Co. Tipperary with the Government announcing that Garda strength has reached its highest level in the organisation’s history.
The new Gardaí, comprising 136 men and 71 women, will be deployed to divisions across the country. Of the 207 graduates, 84 are being allocated to the Dublin Metropolitan Region, 76 to the Eastern Region, 27 to the North-Western Region and 20 to the Southern Region. However, there is still no confirmed county-level allocation for Tipperary in the latest announcement.
Previous Allocations to Tipperary Have Been Disappointing. While the Government celebrates record recruitment figures, previous allocations to Tipperary provide good reason to question how much benefit local communities will actually see.
Official figures provided to the Dáil in May 2025 revealed that Tipperary received: 2022: 8 new Gardaí. 2023: Just 5 new Gardaí. 2024: Just 7 new Gardaí
These were modest allocations for a large county with numerous towns, villages and rural communities requiring a visible Garda presence. The situation was particularly disappointing in February 2026, when just one of 167 newly attested Gardaí was allocated to County Tipperary, with that Garda assigned to Clonmel town. This was despite the graduation ceremony taking place at the Garda College in Templemore.
Garda Numbers in Clare–Tipperary Had Also Fallen Official figures show that the combined Clare–Tipperary Garda Division had 674 members in 2023, falling to 659 in 2024 and 658 by February 2025. That represented a reduction of 16 members over the period, highlighting the importance of assessing recruitment alongside retirements, resignations and other changes in staffing. These figures raise legitimate concerns about whether previous recruitment and allocation decisions have been sufficient to maintain and strengthen policing across the division.
Tipperary Needs Gardaí on the Ground, Not Just Record National Figures For residents of Thurles, Nenagh, Templemore, Roscrea, Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir, Cashel, Cahir and the county’s many rural communities, the real measure of successful Garda recruitment is whether more Gardaí are available locally. A record national Garda workforce is a positive development, but it does not automatically mean every county has adequate staffing. There needs to be greater transparency about how new Gardaí are distributed, how many replace departing personnel and how many actually increase frontline policing capacity. The Government and Garda management should provide clear answers on the latest Tipperary allocation, the county’s current staffing levels and the number of Gardaí assigned to individual stations.
Tipperary Deserves Clear Answers With 207 Gardaí now graduating in Templemore, the question is straightforward; “How many will actually be assigned to County Tipperary?”. Has deputies Mr M. Lowry TD and Mr R. O’Meara TD, discussed this major issue at government level? The people of Tipperary are entitled to expect a fair allocation of policing resources, particularly given the county’s geographical size and the challenges associated with policing both urban and rural communities. Celebrating national recruitment milestones is understandable, but the figures must translate into a stronger Garda presence on the ground.
The real test is not how many Gardaí graduate in Templemore, but how many additional Gardaí will communities across Tipperary actually receive, to bring the county up to at least 2023 levels.
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