Child's play Budget

WORKING parents were left most disappointed when the long-awaited childcare package was unveiled as the centrepiece of yesterday's Budget.

The major innovation announced by Finance Minister Brian Cowen was an early childcare supplement of €1,000 a year to parents of the 350,000 children in the country under the age of six. It will be payable to all parents, regardless of working status.

Other elements of the five-year package were widely welcomed. These include investment to increase the number of childcare places, a €10,000 tax disregard of for childminders, as well as the gradual extension of paid maternity leave from 18 to 26 weeks. The overall cost of the package will reach €600 million a year by 2008.