Ahern attacks Fine Gael over childcare claims

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern last night rounded on opposition claims EU workers in Ireland will be given €50 million a year to care for their children abroad.

In heated Dáil exchanges he disassociated himself from Children’s Minister Brian Lenihan’s claim that Fine Gael was “racist”, but insisted the party’s figures were grossly inflated.

Mr Ahern said the availability of the €1,000-a-year early childcare supplement to migrant workers with dependents under the age of six in their countries of origin extended an EU practice from which Irish people had gained greatly.