First instalment of childcare money due

The first instalment of the new €1,000-a-year childcare supplement is due to be paid to the parents of 350,000 children from next week.

The supplement, which formed part of a package on childcare in last December's budget, is non-taxable and paid to all parents of children under six at the end of each quarter of the year.

The first instalment of €250 is for April to June of this year. Technical and administrative issues in organising the payment mean it is several weeks late. This will not affect future payments, which will be issued on a quarterly basis from October.

The cost of the supplement was set at €353 million a year. However, a high number of applications from migrant workers is expected to increase that total.

Parents already in receipt of child benefit do not need to apply as their entitlement will be determined automatically.