Agencies call for separate status for au pairs

Au pair agencies have called for the separate regulation of the au pair system in the wake of the employment court ruling that host families must comply with the law on minimum wage, holidays, and all other employment protections.

Agenices say the ruling abolishes the traditional idea of the au pair arrangement being a cultural experience and would make Ireland a turn-off for many prospective au pairs and overseas placement agencies.

Seán Kavanagh, who runs the SK Dublin au air agency and places 300 au pairs from EU countries in Ireland each year, said while the area needed regulation, ignoring the unique nature of the au pair experience was not the way to go about it.