Ahern defends Government childcare policy

Some middle-income families are paying more on childcare than on their mortgages, it was claimed in the Dáil today.

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte made the charge during Leader's Questions when he accused the Government of putting childcare places at risk by not providing enough funding.

"Many families on middle incomes are paying as much, and in some cases more for childcare than they are in their mortgage repayments," he said.

"The little that the Government is doing in childcare ... (it is now) putting dozens of childcare centres around the country at risk," he said.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern denied the claims.

"Our policy is to respond to the needs out there for childcare by increasing the availability of childcare places, by implementing the National Childcare Strategy," he said.

He said the Equal Opportunities Childcare Program, which is part of the National Development Plan, sought to increase childcare places by 60 per cent to 28,300 and more funds have been committed to create 33,000 new places.

"There are no plans to close places. We are endeavouring to extend them," he added.