TRIBUTES HAVE BEEN paid to retired senior garda John O’Driscoll, who died suddenly today.

In a statement, Garda Commission Drew Harris said Garda O’Driscoll, who served for 41 years and was an Assistant Commissioner, was “an outstanding member of An Garda Síochána”.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she was “very sad and shocked” at the loss of the veteran garda.

John O’Driscoll led Garda operations against the Kinahan cartel and other organised drug crime groups in Ireland during the final years of his service. He retired in 2022 after serving as Assistant Commissioner for Special Crime Operations since 2016. 

He was due to publish his memoirs entitled ‘On Duty’, next month.

The 64-year-old began the Assistant Commissioner role during the deadly gang feud between rival drug cartels in Dublin in 2016, shortly after the fatal attack on the Regency Hotel in Santry earlier that year.

In a statement this evening, Harris said: “Throughout his 41 years of stellar service, John worked tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable in society and was a great advocate for the power of sport, particularly boxing, in helping and supporting children from deprived areas.”

In recent years, he was to the forefront in Garda successes against organised crime. This work helped save lives and protect communities from the scourge of drugs.

Harris added that his thought are with John O’Driscoll’s wife, Muriel, and his children, Michelle, Laura and Seán.

Taoiseach Simon Harris added: “John was a distinguished member of An Garda Síochána who served the force with such integrity”.

McEntee said John O’Driscoll was a “man who manifested integrity and decency, completely dedicated to public service and to serving the State to the very best of his considerable ability”.

“Throughout his career he mentored scores of Gardaí, built strong teams, and played a leading role in devising and implementing An Garda Síochána’s partnership with international law enforcement in tackling the scourge of organised crime groups,” she added.

McEntee sent her deepest condolences to the O’Driscoll family, as well as his colleagues in An Garda Síochána, on behalf of the Government and the Department of Justice.