"If this is the childcare package, then something got lost in the post," said Ms Martina Murphy, of the National Children's Nurseries Association. She was summing up the mood of the Childcare 2000 Campaign.
Childcare organisations gathered opposite Leinster House in Buswell's Hotel yesterday to watch the Budget on television. Anger and disappointment were the predominant reactions.
The lack of any kind of childcare payments for parents angered Ms Anne O'Donnell, of the National Women's Council, who is the campaign co-ordinator. Mr McCreevy "would want to watch it", she said. The lack of any such measures was "a major disincentive to have children. He will end up paying people to have children and then he'll be sorry."
Discussing their hopes earlier, those involved in the Childcare 2000 Campaign spoke of the £543 million (€689.5m) package it had proposed to address the "crisis".
They stressed that a "lopsided" package dealing just with the supply of childcare places, and not the purchasing power of parents to use it, simply would not do.
Also in the hotel was a group of farmers and two women who called themselves CATs - "we're not the miaow kind, we are interested in the Capital Acquisitions Tax". Perhaps they are the CATs who got the cream.
"Suddenly he's got greyer," one woman muttered when Mr McCreevy rose at 4.15 p.m. to deliver his speech.
The £8 to £10 monthly increase in child benefit was greeted with unreserved delight. However, there were furrowed brows and frantic note-taking when the Minister got around to discussing the actual childcare package itself. Surprised looks accompanied the Minister's final childcare measure.
"Is that it?" they asked when it became clear that £46 million - almost £500 million less than the amount included in their campaign proposals - was all the Minister was willing to give.
The anger was palpable. The money to increase the supply of places was welcome but how was it going to help parents pay for childcare?
Ms Murphy said the majority of her members in the National Children's Nurseries Association would not benefit from the £10 million in grants as they were only being offered to businesses catering for 20 children.
The smaller groups were happier. Ms Maire Ni Ainin, spokeswoman for An Comhchoiste Reamh-Scolaiochta - Irish language pre-schools - said her members would benefit greatly from the grants. "But there is nothing for parents."
Ms Irene Gunning, of IPPA, the early childhood organisation, also welcomed the £23 million for the proposed equal opportunities programme but was concerned about how the money would be administered. "Will childcare groups have a part to play?"
There were more questions than answers.