Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am not saying there has not been exploitation in this area in the past; of course there has been. However, this is the reason legislation is required in this area. This Bill provides for superior protections for au pairs and host families than are currently in place. By clearly defining what is and what is not an au pair exchange, the Bill also provides far greater protections for domestic workers who are taken on under the guise of an au pair.

A new public body will be set up to provide accreditation to au pair agencies and ensure new standards are upheld. Importantly, the Bill also establishes new mechanisms for hearing complaints and resolving disputes on behalf of au pairs and host families. Without legislative action on this issue, au pairing will be a thing of the past and 20,000 families in Ireland will be left in limbo.

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