Technical hitches to delay new €1,000 childcare payments

08/02/2006 - 08:51:26
Parents will reportedly have to wait until the end of this year to receive the first instalment of the new €1,000 childcare supplement announced by the Government last year.

In his budget speech last December, Minister for Finance Brian Cowen said the money would be made available from "mid-2006" to parents with children under six years of age.

However, reports this morning said government officials had admitted that it may now be delayed until either September of December due to technical and administrative problems.