IRELAND’S LEADING DEATH notice website RIP.ie has confirmed that it is introducing a fee for funeral directors for submitting death notices to the platform from January.

In a statement to The Journal, an RIP.ie spokesperson confirmed that a €100 charge will be introduced for funeral directors for the submission of each death notice. The service is currently free for almost all death notices. 

The spokesperson said the fees would support “the development and enhancement of the RIP.ie service”.

The site is one of the most-visited in Ireland, receiving 3.3 million views in November alone. Earlier this year, The Irish Times Group announced the acquisition of the platform as part of its expansion of digital services and products. 
RIP.ie said that the fees will be for funeral directors, and said they have no plans to introduce a charge to users of the site

“Investing in our service will ensure that RIP.ie remains a trusted resource for bereaved families across Ireland and for the hundreds of thousands of people who post messages of condolence to those families on the site every week,” the RIP.ie spokesperson 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. RIP.ie remains committed to offering an excellent service and a secure platform where bereaved families can be supported in commemorating their loved ones.”

A number of Irish funeral directors have raised concerns about the new charge, with some noting that the fee is likely to be passed on to customers. 

A spokesperson for the Irish Association of Funeral Directors (IAFD) said they had voiced their concerns to the death notice site on the increased price.

“The role of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors is to ensure fair representation of our members and that their clients receive the highest quality service when arranging funerals for their loved ones,” an IAFD spokesperson said.

“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 both our members and their clients.”

Currently RIP.ie only charge fees for death notices where no Irish-based funeral director is involved in the funeral arrangements. The death notice site charges an administration fee of €100 to the funeral directors in such cases.

David Fanagan, Director of Fanagan’s Funeral Directors, dismissed criticism of the new fee, saying the service provided by RIP.ie “means so much to bereaved families”.

“Families used to have death notices published in several newspapers and they paid several hundred euro, often more, per notice,” Fanagan told Newstalk Breakfast.

“The service offered by RIP.ie to families is a great comfort to people to read messages, which can be added free of charge. There won’t be a boycott; the value of that service for the bereaved to read messages is an enormous comfort”.

The most recently filed accounts for RIP.ie showed accumulated profits of €1.695m with just four employees.

The company recording an after tax profit of €264,912 for the 12 months to the end of December 2023.