A new proposed bill is hoping to regulate the Au Pair sector.
Families in Ireland who struggle with the cost of childcare have often opted for an au pair as an alternative, more cost-effective solution.
You host a young person in your home who would like to work, study or experience living in Ireland - feed them, give them a room to stay in and give them some money to survive.
In return, you receive a wee bit of help with the kids.
Right?
Well, not really, because many of these young au pairs have been completely exploited and used as 'cheap' full-time childminders and often times, house cleaners by Irish families.
There are currently 40 cases pending at the Workplace Relations Commission in which au pairs are claiming to have been mistreated by their host families and are seeking to be compensated.
The new 'Au Pair Placement Bill', to be presented at the Dáil by Fianna Fail in coming weeks, wants to define the role of an au pair living and working in Ireland.
If passed, it would limit working hours to a maximum of 30 per week, lay out stringent rules in terms of working conditions and pay and engage the Au Pair Accreditation Council to carry out inspections and mediate disputes.
The Migrants Rights Council of Ireland (MRCI) have conducted research which shows that almost a third of au pairs work between 8 to 10 hours a day for their host families and 60% of those surveyed receive less than €120 per week.
It also showed that 80% of au pairs working in Ireland have no written contract, further compounding their 'casual' status of their role.
Strange, isn't it, when you consider that they are entrusted with the care of our most valuable assets - our children?
Have you ever hosted an Au Pair at your home? Let us know what you think of this proposed bill in the comments on Facebook.
