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It was with great sadness that we learned of the death, on Friday 26th December 2025, of Mr Ollie Kent, Woodfield, Cappagh Road, Barna, Co. Galway and formerly of Borrisoleigh, Co. Tipperary.
Pre-deceased by his parents William and Josephine and his brother Noel; Mr Kent passed away peacefully while in the care of staff at University Hospital Galway, surrounded by his loving family.
His passing is most deeply regretted, sadly missed and lovingly remembered by his sorrowing family; loving wife Geraldine, daughters Pheilo and Vanessa, son Oliver, sons-in-law David and John, grandchildren Ian, Bob, Sarah, Jayne, Conor, Daniel and Aaron, brothers Kevin and Gerard, sisters Tess, Gretta and Mary, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, extended relatives, neighbours and many friends.
Rest in Peace.
Funeral Arrangements.
The remains of Mr Kent will repose for a private service of cremation, attended only by family members, in accordance with his previous wishes.
The extended Kent 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.
Note Please: House strictly private. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, to Galway Hospice Foundation.
In ár gcroíthe go deo.
The Cabinet has approved the publication of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2025, a major piece of legislation designed to modernise and consolidate the statutory basis for key Garda powers, placing them on a clearer and more accessible legislative footing.
Key measures in the Bill:
- Reform of search warrants (including electronic devices)
- Updates and reforms the law on search warrants in light of Supreme Court judgments.
- Provides for tailored search warrants specifically authorising the seizure and search of electronic devices, and procedures to assess claims of privilege.
- Strengthens rights for individuals to be informed about authorised access to data on seized electronic devices (Section 23), reflecting the Landeck judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
- Creates a statutory mechanism enabling the examination of devices seized without prior judicial approval, with appropriate authorisation arrangements.
Judicially supervised handling of privileged material.
- Establishes clear statutory procedures to ensure privileged material is handled through a judicially supervised process.
- Confirms legal professional privilege as absolute, and provides a structured process for other forms of privilege, including (where required) determination by the High Court under Section 24.
Stop-and-search provisions.
- Introduces provisions to support greater consistency in the use and understanding of Garda stop-and-search powers.
- Requires Gardaí to make a formal record of all searches, and provides for stop-and-search of a person or vehicle in a public place where Gardaí reasonably suspect possession of a relevant article (as defined in the legislation).
Custody and interview safeguards.
- Places on a statutory footing the existing right of a person in custody to consult a solicitor before and during interview.
- Provides for electronic recording of Garda interviews and modernises the custody framework.
The Bill is intended to clarify the law in an area that has become complex, strengthen safeguards, and provide clear procedures for dealing with privileged material, grounded in the principle that human rights are the foundation and purpose of policing.
A stamped draft of the Garda Síochána (Powers) Bill 2025 has been made available, with formal publication by the Oireachtas to follow in due course.
The Bill builds on the objective of codifying and modernising police powers of search, arrest and detention and strengthening procedural rights, as set out in the earlier general scheme (published June 2021).
Cocaine price claims: what can be confirmed from Gardaí, Revenue and published monitoring?
Garda leadership has publicly stated that wholesale kilo prices rose and attributed the increase to enforcement pressure and major seizures.
Revenue/Garda releases document continued significant seizures nationally, including recent high-value cocaine detections.
Public comments from senior Garda sources in recent years have pointed to a rise in the wholesale (per-kilo) price of cocaine and have linked that rise to the disruption caused by large-scale seizures. The available public record is stronger on wholesale impacts than on retail (“street”) price trends, and international monitoring cautions that retail prices can remain stable even when purity and supply conditions shift.
A blow to the smuggling operations of the Dublin crime group known as “The Family” is most certainly leading to a lower-purity drug currently on Irish streets.
(1) What Gardaí have said – Wholesale per kilo price increase:
In August of 2024, Det Chief Supt Séamus Boland (Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau) said Gardaí had seen a “significant increase” in the wholesale price, with kilos moving from around €25,000 to some €40,000, and he linked that change to the impact of major seizures and enforcement activity.
(2) What can be confirmed about large seizures in recent years following joint Garda/Revenue operations:
Revenue and Garda press releases confirm continued high-value cocaine seizures under joint, intelligence-led operations, including:
- 5.46kg of cocaine seized at Dublin Airport (estimated value €382,200) in December 2025.
- A joint Operation Tara-related seizure of suspected cocaine valued at around €4.06 million in December 2025.
- The MV Matthew operation remains a reference point in discussions of large-scale disruption: the vessel was seized in connection with Ireland’s largest drugs haul in 2023, with official costs and handling continuing to be reported in 2025.
(3) What cannot be firmly confirmed from public sources:
While Garda commentary has focused on wholesale kilo prices, publicly available, Europe-wide monitoring reports that retail cocaine prices have remained relatively stable over the past decade, alongside changes in purity. This does not rule out local or short-term volatility, but it means a sustained retail price rise in Ireland is not confirmed on the same evidential footing as the reported wholesale change.
(4) From a local Tipperary context:
Garda press releases confirm cocaine seizures and related enforcement activity in Tipperary, including a December 2024 operation in which Gardaí in the Tipperary Division said they seized approximately €100,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis, with a man arrested and charged.
Separately, Revenue has reported joint operations resulting in arrests/detentions within the Clare–Tipperary Division (e.g., Shannon Airport seizures), reflecting the regional footprint of national enforcement activity.
A sustained rise in retail prices is not established by the main public monitoring sources; EU monitoring notes retail prices have remained relatively stable over the past decade.
Tipperary: Garda releases confirm cocaine seizures and arrests in the county/Division in recent years.
Recent Garda commentary has pointed to a sharp rise in the wholesale price of cocaine in Ireland and has linked that rise to major drug seizures. Publicly available monitoring and data sources, however, are stronger on wholesale impacts than on retail (“street”) price changes, and the relationship between seizures and lasting price rises is not straightforward.
What Gardaí have said:
Wholesale prices: In August 2024, the head of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB), Det Chief Supt Séamus Boland, said the wholesale price per kilogram of cocaine had risen sharply (reported as moving from about €25,000 to around €40,000), and that the increase was probably due to large seizures by Gardaí and Revenue.
It has been reported that a senior Garda drug investigator linked the ‘MV Matthew’ seizure (2023) to an increase in the wholesale price in Ireland, describing disruption and internal “investigation” by those controlling the shipment.
What can be confirmed about seizures.
Large-scale cocaine seizures by Gardaí and Revenue are well documented in official releases, including joint operations under ‘Operation Tara’ and regular intercepts at ports and airports.
Examples from December 2025 include:
- A joint Garda/Revenue operation reporting suspected cocaine valued at €4.06m, with arrests.
- Revenue reporting a 53.5kg seizure at Rosslare Europort valued at €3.75m.
- Revenue reporting a 5.46kg seizure at Dublin Airport valued at €382k.
What cannot be firmly confirmed from public data:
Public reporting and official statements cited above, focus mainly on wholesale kilo prices. They do not conclusively establish a sustained rise in retail price per gram across Ireland.
EU-wide monitoring context.
The EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) reports that, at retail level, cocaine prices have remained relatively stable over the past decade across Europe, while purity has trended upward. This does not rule out short-term Ireland-specific volatility, but it cautions against presenting retail price rises as settled fact.
A key operational nuance highlighted in reporting:
Where wholesale prices rise, impacts may appear as greater adulteration / lower purity rather than higher street prices. Recent reporting cites Garda detections of heavily diluted cocaine in some instances.
77,000+ employers now already registered for MyFutureFund as employee portal opens on January 1st.
The Government has confirmed that more than 77,000 + employers, representing approximately 645,000 employees, have already registered on the MyFutureFund employer portal since it opened on December 1st last.
MyFutureFund is Ireland’s new automatic enrolment retirement savings system, due to begin from 1 January 1st 2026, aimed at employees not currently in a workplace pension. Eligibility is expected to cover employees aged 23 to 60, earning €20,000 or more across all employments, where they are not already part of a pension plan in the relevant employment. See Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU).
Contributions to begin in January.
From January 2026, contributions are set to commence at:
- 1.5% employee contribution (based on gross pay).
- 1.5% employer contribution.
- 0.5% State top-up.
Contribution rates will increase on a phased basis over a decade:
- 2026–2028: 1.5% / 1.5% / 0.5%
- 2029–2031: 3% / 3% / 1%
- 2032–2034: 4.5% / 4.5% / 1.5%
- 2035 onwards: 6% / 6% / 2%
How savings will be managed.
The Irish Government said contributions will be collected and invested on employees’ behalf in well-regulated investment funds, with returns building a retirement savings pot available at retirement.
The scheme is to be administered by the National Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), which will handle enrolment, collection and investment of contributions, and related administration.
Charges and portability.
Participant charges under MyFutureFund include:
- an administration fee of 55 cent per week (applying to active contributions),
and
- investment management fees averaging just under 0.04% of assets under management.
The scheme operates a “pot follows the member” approach, allowing employees to carry savings from job to job, with no minimum waiting or vesting periods.
Next steps: employee portal opens New Year’s Day.
The next phase of the rollout is the launch of the employee portal on January 1st, 2026.
From mid-January, employees will be able to view their own contributions as well as those made by their employer and the State, once collected and processed by National Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA).
Find A Listening Ear & Practical Help.
At this time of year some people may be feeling overwhelmed, perhaps lonely, anxious, or are just simply not coping. Some of us have been in this position before so please don’t try to carry it on your own.
The helplines and services listed hereunder are there to listen and to help, whether you’re looking for emotional support, practical advice, or a first step towards getting the right care.
Reaching out can often feel difficult, but it’s a strong and positive move, and all of these services offer confidential, non-judgemental support for you or for someone you may be worried about.
Alone – 0818 222 024.
Aware – 1800 804 848.
Samaritans – 116 123.
Pieta House – 1800 247 247.
Age Action – 01 475 6989.
Irish Red Cross – 01 642 4600.
Citizens Advice – 0761 07 4000.
Alzheimer’s Society, Information and Emotional Help – 1800 341 341.
Exchange House, Traveller Mental Health Support – 01 872 1094.
Senior Line Friendly Listening Service – 1800 80 45 91.
Amen, Domestic Violence (male victims) – 046 902 3718.
Rape Crisis Centre, Crisis Helpline – 1800 778 888.
Mental Health Ireland, Mental Health Helpline – 01 284 1166.
If you feel that you (or someone else) may be at immediate risk of self harm, contact emergency services on 112 or 999 or go to your nearest emergency department.
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