Profiting from the passing of loved ones outrageous
- Sheehan calls on Irish Times to reverse the decision to charge €100 for RIP.ie notices
Labour TD Conor Sheehan said it is horrendous to see the owners of RIP.ie seeking to profit off of death announcements.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“This is greed, pure and simple. At the worst time in someone’s life, the last thing people need to consider is if they can afford to announce the death of a loved one.
“Charging people €100 to post a death notice is wrong. RIP.ie has become a crucial community tool for people up and down this country, and I am calling on The Irish Times to reverse this decision.
“While the fee will be for funeral directors, it ultimately will be passed on to a grieving family. The announcement of a loved one’s death should not be on the basis of financial means.
“I note that the reason provided for this fee is to upgrade and enhance the service. From my own experience and from speaking to friends and family, the website seems to function perfectly.
“Particularly for people who are not digital native, it would be a regressive step to change the operations of the website and how it functions. I implore a rethink on this decision.”