The family of Clodagh Hawe, who along with her three children was murdered by her husband in Co Cavan in 2016, has warned people not to donate to online fundraising pages set up in their name but which have no link to them.
Ms Hawe’s sister, Jacqueline Connolly said the family who in recent days have been calling for a full inquiry into the deaths of Clodagh and her children, would never accept money “on the back of our grief”.
“It has come to our attention that someone has set up a gofundme page in our name. Please ignore this as Mam and I would never in a million years accept money from anyone on the back of our grief. We have informed RTÉ and they are having it shut down!” tweeted Jacqueline Connolly.
Clodagh (39) and her sons, Liam (13), Niall (11) and Ryan (6) were killed by their husband and father Alan Hawe (40) at their home in Co Cavan. He then took his own life.
Clodagh Hawe’s mother Mary Coll and Ms Connolly met the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan on Thursday to help them get access to information on her murder through the Department of Education, Tusla and the coroner.
The family also want to know if their case formed part of an ongoing review of cases of domestic homicide. They called for the establishment of “robust support mechanisms” for survivors and families of victims.
They have also called for the introduction of independent multi-agency domestic homicide and child death reviews.
They are due to meet Garda Commissioner Drew Harris next week and are seeking the garda file on the case.
Ms Connolly has said the public support in recent days since they were interviewed on RTE television last Monday night has been “unreal” and thanked the country for coming behind them.
It emerged after the death of the Hawe family that that Alan Hawe, a schoolteacher, had sought help for viewing pornography and that he had been caught masturbating while using a school laptop.
Ms Coll and Ms Connolly said he was in conflict with a work colleague and had contacted teaching union the INTO and in his suicide letter expressed concern that “the truth was going to come out”.
A spokeswoman for GoFundMe said they were aware of the page.
“As ever with GoFundMe, no funds will ever be released until we’re sure they will get to the right place,” she said. “We have suspended the page in question while we look into the matter and if the family do not want the funds then any donations made will be refunded.”