'Pure greed' - Irish people shocked as RIP.ie plans to charge €100 per death notice

Irish people have reacted angrily to the move to charge €100 to place a death notice on RIP.ie from next year.

The site announced the new charge on Tuesday. RIP.ie was purchased by the Irish Times Group earlier this year and this is the first major change announced by the new owners.

In a statement, RIP.ie said: “Having engaged with funeral directors and others involved in the sector, we believe the new fee structure offers fair and good value for money. We have no plans to introduce a charge to users.

“RIP.ie remains committed to offering an excellent service and a secure platform where bereaved families can be supported in commemorating their loved ones."

One man responded: "Unbelievable...absolute greed. Why not €20 if there so adamant to get something out of it...but €100...too much...all public should reply and refuse pay."

A second person posted: "Charging a family to announce the death of a loved one is just beyond cruel and and an absolute disgrace. Funeral costs and dealing with losing a loved one are hard enough for a family to have to deal with as it already is! To go from being free to having to pay €100 is just pure greed. Shocking!"

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The Blindboy Podcast account on X posted: "The Irish Times buying RIP.ie and moving it from a free service to 100 quid a death just before Christmas feels pure Scroogy. A type of workhouse Victorian evil. Some south Dublin Leinster rugby enthusiast is getting a visit from three ghosts over this."

However, one woman explained the taking out a death notice from RIP.ie has not been free up to this point. She posted: One woman explained: "It may have started as free to list, but my dad (an undertaker) has paid €10 per listing for years. It was a nominal enough fee as all the data entry is done by the undertaker. I think €100 is very greedy, €50 would’ve been more than enough."

A second said: "Re: the new RIP.ie charge. Do people not remember that families had to pay newspapers - by the word - to put in a death notice in the papers? Remember doing it for my Dad in 1993."

The Irish Association of Funeral Directors too has expressed concern over the fee and have asked the Irish Times Group for clarity.

“When suppliers set prices beyond the control of the IAFD, which could affect our members and their clients, the Association strives to voice any concerns on their behalf, as we aim to promote best practice and deliver value to to both our members and their clients," they said in a statement.

Galway funeral director Joe Grogan described the fee as "excessive" on RTÉ, describing it as too big a hit to grieving families.