Parents of young children facing double-whammy

PARENTS of young children face a double-whammy from January 1 as they lose the Early Childcare Supplement on top of the cuts to Child Benefit announced in this week’s budget.

As a result, a family with one child under five years of age will be €690 worse off. A family with two children under that age will lose €1,380.

Finance Minister Brian Lenihan made no mention of Early Childcare Supplement in his speech on Wednesday because the decision to abolish it had been announced in last April’s supplementary Budget. The payment is to assist families with childcare costs.