Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

While the Bill acknowledges the need for the regulation of this sector, Sinn Féin cannot support it as it does not go far enough. It is not sufficient in its current form and in its recommendations as my colleagues have and will continue to outline in their contributions. As party spokesperson on child care, I will focus briefly on the elephant in the room, which is the cost of child care. The lack of affordable, accessible and quality child care remains one of the biggest crises across the State. Parents, workers, child care services and children continue to suffer as a result.

Child care should be regarded as a public service for both children and parents and, as such, we should address the issues in the sector with the same consideration we give to other levels of education. The major factor in and root cause of the huge increase in the use of au pairs is the cost of child care. Ireland's child care costs are considered the most expensive in the EU and are second to only to the USA worldwide. The cost ranges from €800 to €1,000 euro per month dependant on location. OECD figures show that the fees paid by a low-income, dual-earner family in Ireland with two young children consume at least 35% of the family's net income. For a lone parent family on the average wage, the fees amount to 40% of income in contrast to just 10% to 13 % across the EU. The jump in the number of families employing au pairs should come, therefore, as little surprise.

There has always been a history of au pairs, traditionally European, coming to Ireland and working with families, but the increase of recent years is down to the lack of affordable, accessible and quality child care for many families. Many parents look towards the au pair sector to fill this gap.

The Bill provides no detail of what "light housework" and "light domestic duties" entail. The prospect of having an au pair mind one's child or children in one's own home for as little as €120 per week with the added bonus of house cleaning and whatever else a family requires is an enticing option for many parents who are struggling to balance the cost of child care with what they earn.

Responsibility for the protection of these workers lies with the Government. There is also an onus on au pair recruitment agencies to be aware of and comply with the Employment Agency Act 1971. Trends indicate a growing number of migrant women working in unregulated child care, in other words, an informal workforce providing care in private homes. The Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, MRCI, has identified an increase in the pattern of exploitation experienced by au pairs. We support the MRCI's call for an immediate and co-ordinated response by the Government and the National Employment Rights Authority, NERA, to ensure that the employment rights of au pair workers are upheld and enforced, with particular emphasis on recruitment agencies and direct employers.

We will not support the Bill, as it does not go far enough and is not sufficient in its current form.

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