Social Protection employee apologises to ‘Mrs Enough’ for error

A red-faced employee at the Department of Social Protection has apologised for referring to a young widow as Mrs Enough when he wrote her a letter saying her benefits were to be cut.

To compound the gaffe, the employee later rang her to say he “couldn’t apologise — enough” for the mistake.

The widow from East Cork, who has asked not to be named, received the letter, which has been seen by the Irish Examiner, on Christmas Eve.

The envelope which arrived at her home had her correct name and address on it. But when she opened the correspondence inside she was taken aback to discover she was referred to as Mrs Enough.

“I was absolutely shocked and disheartened. I said is this forreal? I rang them on Christmas Eve, but got no reply. I rang then again in early January, when the offices reopened, and was told to put my feelings in writing and send them back a copy of the letter,” the woman said.

She had been claiming her widow’s allowance but, shortly after being made redundant after 25 years with the same company, the mother-of-one became ill and was allowed to claim illness benefit. As she was in receipt of the widow’s benefit, she was only allowed half the normal illness benefit rate.

The Department of Social Protection wrote to her saying, that after 15 months, her payment would cease on Jan 19.

County councillor Noel Costello, who took up the woman’s case, said it was a ridiculous thing to happen.

“Obviously the person who did it was thinking that’s ‘enough’ of that payment. It’s shoddy practice,” the Labour Party councillor said.

Meanwhile, the recipient said: “I have received a verbal apology from the person at the Department of Social Protection and I was told I would also receive a written one. But it hasn’t arrived.”