Labour's finance spokeswoman Joan Burton said the childcare package announced in today's Budget shows the Government is "out-of-touch" with the needs of young families.
Minster of Finance Brian Cowen announced a package of measures for providing 50,000 childcare places over the next five years with tax reliefs for providers in the home.
Joan Burton
He increased the child benefit to €150 for the first two children and €185 for subsequent children. And in a new departure, parents of children under six will receive a €,1000 per year payment irrespective of earnings and free from tax or other levies.
He also announced an extra eight weeks paid maternity leave and eight week unpaid entitlement by 2007
Ms Burton said the child-centered Budget supporting parental choice which had been touted before today had not been delivered.
A recent poll showed the average cost of a full-time creche to be €724 per month, Ms Burton said. "Offering €83 per month shows how out of touch this Government is," she said.
"This Government has ignored the childcare problem for years. Now that it has finally been forced to act, it is clear that it has no idea of the real requirements of today's young families," she added.