Brian's Budget to cut crippling childcare costs

THE Government is to announce a series of measures to reduce the crippling costs of childcare for working parents in next month's Budget.

The package is expected to include tax relief or credits to offset childcare costs, and increases in child welfare as well as the €100 million for public creche places announced yesterday.

Finance Minister Brian Cowen said his Budget Day proposals would be part of a structured long-term response. It was his strongest signal that financial support for childcare will be tilted towards working parents without unduly neglecting stay-at-home parents.