History to date of Au Pair In Ireland
History of Au Pairs in Ireland
In-home care in Ireland has evolved from the practice of recruiting a local person known to the family to a highly legislated, complicated compliance agenda encompassing the global migration of au pairs and carers. Cara International was set up in 2000 when the year that the minimum wage was enacted. Cara International wrote to the government, who stated that Au Pairs were not workers. This was in line with the Council of Europe’s (1969, p.3) description of an au pair, which said that “persons placed ‘au pair‘ belong neither to the student category nor the worker category but to a special category with features of both”. The 1969 Convention recognised au pairing as providing an opportunity for linguistic and cultural skills development in the Member States. Cara International adopted this treaty in the absents of other legislation. The advancement in the internet helped Cara International to grow its business initially. However, this advancement also helps other online non-vetting Au Pair and minding sites and social media recruitment to grow. This has resulted in a watering down of vetting procedures, which is not safe for anyone, particularly the children.
Case law set under The Minimum Wage Act
The first highly publicised legal challenge to the Minimum Wage Act was in 2015, in which an Au Pair was awarded €9,000 under the Minimum Wage Act. This case law set a precedent meaning au pairs would be classified under the Minimum Wage Domestic Worker legislation.
Au Pair Bill
As chair of the Irish National Au Pair Association in 2015, Caroline Joyce worked with Finna Fail to introduce the Au Pair Placement Bill (2016), which was unfortunately defeated.
Low Paid Commission
Caroline also made representations on behalf of the association to the Low-Paid Commission regarding board and lodgings deductions (see here for more information). The L.P.C. (2017, p.16) reported little evidence of the formal usage of National Minimum Wage/board and lodgings in the D.W./au pair sector (p.6) being presented to them but determined that the allowances were never intended to represent the market value of the provision. Cara International believes persons employing people in a live incapacity in their home are underrepresented at these talks because of the undocumented nature of this type of employment. The Commission’s report recognised that there should be some form of compensation to employers for providing board and/or lodgings (L.P.C., 2017, p.16), but nothing has happened in this regard today.
Programme for Government Commitment
The Programme for Government (Department of the Taoiseach, 2020, p.80) recognises that Ireland’s recovery must work for families, valuing all parents’ work, ensuring that they are supported in their childcare choices, whether that be with childminders, in childcare settings, or the home. The first step will be to develop information for families and In-home minders such as Au Pairs and Nannies. The second step is to develop training for those Au Pairs and Nannies. Au Pairs and nannies have been included in the National Action Plan For Childminding (2021-2028). However, funding for families under the childcare scheme has not been included in this strategy which is disappointing. Such funding would help address the black economy in in-Home Care and encourage more compliance, which is good for everybody.
Cara International suggests that Ireland has a legal obligation to adopt the following E.U. directive to protect Au Pairs.
DIRECTIVE (E.U.) 2016/801 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 11 May 2016 on entry and residence of third-country nationals for research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes or educational projects, and au pairing. It states that the Member States may determine that the placement of au pairs shall only be carried out by an organisation mediating au pairs under the conditions defined in national law. Cara International suggests that people who want to have the choice of employing someone in their home lobby their local politicians here.
The reality is, if you are employing a person in the home, be it a nighttime babysitter, the girl next door, or a person from outside of Ireland, you have significant obligations as an employer under several pieces of legislation, and the Workplace Relations is still actively pursuing cases.
If you have any Questions
WhatsApp Caroline
on
00353899769436
or
Apply Here To Learn More.
History to date of Au Pair In Ireland Continued
Newspapers
Irish Newspapers
Cara International has been advocating for Au Pair rights for many years as can been seen in the following National Newspaper Articles
EU History on Au Pairs
Ireland EU Au Pair Agreements
The role of Au Pairs has been recognised as unique by the EU since 1969 when the European Agreement on “au pair” Placement and Protocol was agreed which Considered that persons placed “au pair” belong neither to the student category nor to the worker category but to a special category which has features of both, and that therefore it is useful to make appropriate arrangements for them
Cara International is calling on the Government to ratify DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, pupil exchange, remunerated and unremunerated training, voluntary service and au pairing
MEPs welcome a plan for information sharing by national authorities on Au Pairs
Where is the Irish Government now on Au Pairs now?
In 2016, The Irish National Au Pair Association worked with Minister Anne Rabbitte to help enact an Au Pair Bill. This bill was defeated.
Au Pair Domestic Worker Legislation Ireland
On 28 August 2014, Ireland ratified the C189 – Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189)
As a result of this ratification, families who employ anyone in their home are Employers with legal compliance with several pieces of Legislation.
Family & Children’s Childcare Choice
The 2021 Irish Programme for government page 80 states that
“We also want Ireland’s recovery to be one that works for families. We value the work of all parents and will ensure that they are supported in their childcare choices, whether that be with childminders, in childcare settings, or in the home”.
To date there has been no action taken by Government to support that choice in the home.
If you have any Questions
WhatsApp Caroline
on
00353899769436
or
Apply Here To Learn More.
Au Pair & Nannies Registering with a GP in Ireland
GP Registration
It’s essential now, more than ever due to COVID 19 to register with a GP in Ireland.
Medical Insurance
Remember to apply for your European Health Card before you arrive in Ireland. Please also check your medical insurance to see what it covers, especially around Covid 19 virus. Please find more information here
If you have any Questions
WhatsApp Caroline
on
00353899769436
or
Apply Here To Learn More.
Public transport & Au Pairs in Ireland
New Public Transport Fare Reductions will benefit young Au Pairs
Up to now students in Ireland could available of the Student Leap Card. However, non-student young adults such as Au Pairs did not have an option. From Monday the 9th of May 2022 Au Pairs under 24 can apply for a Young Adult Leap Card for use when travelling. Learn More Here
Useful Links for Booking Public Transport in Ireland
If you have any Questions
WhatsApp Caroline
on
00353899769436
or
Apply Here To Learn More.
Reach Us
Where Do We Place?
We are based in Mayo But Place Minders throughout the Republic of Ireland
About Us
We are hear to help and have expertise in the field. Learn More About Us Here
info@carainternational.net
