€1,000 childcare supplement scrapped

THE Government is to scrap the Early Childcare Supplement by the end of the year and the e1,000 annual payment will be halved from May.

The payment, introduced in Budget 2006 to ease childcare costs, consisted of a e1,000 yearly payment for each child up to the age of six. This was reduced in the October 2008 budget to the age of five-and-half.

Now, the Government will pay for one year’s pre-school for all children. Last night a children’s charity working with vulnerable families was delighted their long-fought campaign for the introduction of a free pre-school place for all children has been heeded.