Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Tánaiste for her comments. No side of the House condones any form of exploitation but what the Tánaiste said does not address what is a very serious issue. Families who use au pairs need more than just platitudes at this stage. They need to know how long the Low Pay Commission will take in reviewing this area given all the other issues it must consider. Given that there has not been an increase to the board and lodgings allowance for au pairs since 2002, surely there is a reason to urgently review the rates of au pairs if they are allowed to continue to be covered under the National Minimum Wage Act?

Some people require flexibility or someone to stay in their home, for example, a nurse or garda. We must allow shift workers to have child care solutions that work for them. Parents must have a choice in terms of child care. We cannot remove all the choice that is currently available. The Government's inaction is encouraging more au pair activity into the black market and it is being forced to go underground.

See this speech in context