Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to welcome the Bill. It is vital that the au pair sector be protected and that the role of the au pair be given a legal definition. I compliment the proposer of the Bill, Deputy Anne Rabbitte, and hope the Bill passes through the Dáil.

I do not believe the Workplace Relations Commission's ruling earlier this year was the correct one for this sector. That is my personal opinion. Arrangements for participants in the au pair programme are significantly different from those for simple domestic workers owing to the cultural aspects of the programme and the accommodation provided for them. This must be taken into account. The programme embraces cultures and there is a long tradition of having au pairs in this country. While there might have been some bad apples and cases of bad treatment - we cannot accept this under any circumstances - I am not in favour of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The au pair exchange programme involves interaction between two cultures. However, it is also important that au pairs not be abused.

I welcome the establishment of an oversight body which will accredit au pair agencies and hear complaints from those working for Irish families. This is important. Agencies must be examined and there must be careful scrutiny. I do not want to see another quango being set up. It would be another big organisation. However, I certainly want to see oversight and respect for those au pairs who come here. The proposal will ensure they are respected. This represents a good effort to find a balance to ensure the needs of families are met and au pairs are protected.

I know that there have been numerous cases of au pairs being taken advantage of, which is deeply regrettable. However, it would also be regrettable if the idea of having an au pair staying with a family to look after children were to disappear or be driven underground. That would leave au pairs in a far worse position. Often we bring forward regulations without thinking of undertaking an impact assessment. If the sector was to be driven underground, it would be akin to slave labour and there would be widespread abuse. We do not want to see this happen either.

The rising cost of child care must be addressed. It must also be acknowledged that not all families are in a position to send their children to the various child care settings. There are differences of opinion in this regard. I was involved in the setting up of a voluntary crèche, a naíonra. The State has put all of the focus on preschool services in the provision of the free preschool year and the second free preschool year announced in the last budget. However, in many cases, this is of little or no benefit to families owing to the manner in which the programme is run. This is not a reflection on the way those involved run the various organisations but rather on the system. This issue must be re-examined and the focus must be shifted towards supporting families who need child care services.

The au pair programme simply involves one setting. Not only does it provide foreign students with an opportunity to learn about our culture, it also allows young children in families to learn about the culture of the country from where the au pair comes. It is important that we do not lose sight of the exchange element. The programme has been very beneficial to many families and is a two-way street. I knew several au pairs who had a wonderful time with families here and enjoyed the language and cultural exchange and living in Ireland with Irish families.

Au pairs should be welcomed. What has happened to the Ireland of the thousand welcomes, the cead míle fáilte? They must be welcomed to learn about life with an Irish family, our heritage and culture. They must be given the opportunity to learn about an teanga, más féidir linn, the Irish language, Irish dance, take music lessons, etc. If that is the purpose of the programme, their role should not be limited to minding children or doing housework for several hours without a break. There must be limits and respect, an important word in this regard. It must always be a two-way street.

I have relatives who have travelled to work as au pairs in other countries. They appreciated the opportunity given to them, the accommodation and the pocket money they received in return for light work and minding the children. In the main, they had good experiences. We all want it to be a friendly engagement, a learning engagement and, above all, an enjoyable experience for the au pair. I also know, however, that difficulties can arise in other countries between a family and an au pair. This is not unusual, but it should not be used as a reason to get rid of the programme, effectively by stealth. We must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, if one pardons the pun.

Deputy Thomas Pringle is right about the people who come here. They are now of a different age and have a range of experiences.

The situation has evolved and it is not the young students who used to come in the past. They can be of different ages and have various qualifications. They are well capable of minding themselves and making complaints if there are issues. It is important that we would have an oversight agency to which complaints can be brought. We should also look very seriously at the agencies facilitating the au pairs who show interest in being placed with families.

I know there are concerns about abuse and any abuse of au pairs should be dealt with seriously. However, it would be incorrect to treat them in the same way as domestic workers without any acknowledgement of the cultural aspect.

The Bill represents a move in the right direction to try to have some regulation and have some respect for the situation of au pairs without destroying the scheme completely. It has operated for countless decades. I have had very many valuable experiences. I never had one in my family home, but I know of many families who have. I saw the au pairs with them on many outings and different engagements with children and with the rest of the family themselves. They holidayed with them and brought them to different cultural events in Ireland to give them a real taste of Éireann go brea. It is very important that they would have that taste for culture. We always need to keep that to the forefront to sell our culture, our heritage, our dúchas.

Au pairs should enjoy it when they come and it should be a memorable experience so that if they have enjoyed their time in Ireland they would recommend to others to come here. Those who have been au pairs can be ambassadors and support the scheme by telling people about their good experiences. If they have bad experiences, they should inform the State and it should be stamped out.

I support the Bill.

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