The Minister for Social Protection has apologised to a grieving mother for a “tone deaf” letter demanding money from her mere days after the death of her teenage son. 

Tracy McGinnis was a fulltime carer to her son Brendan and his death last month at the age of 17 has left her convulsed by grief. 

Her pain was compounded when she received an official letter offering her condolences but also requesting repayment of €208 from the disability allowance that she had been paid the day after Brendan’s death. 

It was a demand that left her feeling “shocked, appalled and angry”. 

“I’m on my knees in every way possible,” she said, her voice filled with emotion. 

“I spent 17 and a half years working 24/7 around the clock, [providing] literally nursing level care so that my son could have the best life possible considering he was so profoundly disabled. 

“He was a happy, happy fella and his body just gave out.” 

5/12/2012 Budget 2013. Pictured is the Social Welfare Office on Thomas Street, Dublin, just before the Budget 2013 is announced. Photo: Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Ms McGuinnis believed that the disability allowance she received to care for Brendan would continue for six weeks after his death. However, the six week rule applies only for spouses or romantic partners. If you are caring for a child the payment is stopped as soon as they die. 

“The letter said I owed them back the €208 because it was paid the day after he died and I shouldn’t have collected it because his social benefits end the day he died,” Ms McGinnis added. 

“If he was a spouse or a romantic partner, those payments would continue for six weeks. 

“I can tell you that as a lone parent carer for all of these years, having left a career behind, having no other source of income - I don’t have a partner or a spouse -  [or] any other means of income, to have everything cut off is…” her voice trailed off. 

'Tone deaf'

Speaking to The Anton Savage Show, Minister Heather Humphreys admitted her department had made a disastrous mistake in its dealings with Ms McGinnis: 

“This shouldn’t have happened and how anybody thought it was appropriate to send a letter to a grieving mother is beyond me and I have spoken to my officials about it,” she admitted. 

“They’re going to look at how they handle cases like this in the future but for somebody to receive a letter that a few weeks after their son died is tone deaf.

“We have to do better and we have to ensure it doesn’t happen again. 

“And all I can do is apologise… and can I extend my deepest sympathy to Tracey on the loss of her dear son Brendan and my heart goes out to her.” 

She added that Ms McGinnis would not have to repay the money and the department would re-examine how they deal with bereaved parents, promising “if I have to make changes I will because no mother should have to receive a letter like that.”

Main image: Minister Heather Humphreys speaking to media on the plinth outside Leinster House ahead of the 2021 Fine Gael Ard Fheis. Picture by: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie