asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is the intention of the Government to ratify the au pair agreement of the Council of Europe; if not, why; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - “Au Pair” Agreement.
15.
The European agreement on au pair placement has been ratified by four of the seventeen member states of the Council of Europe, namely, France, Denmark, Norway and Italy.
The question of Irish ratification, which involves the Departments of Labour, Social Welfare, Education and Justice as well as Foreign Affairs, has been under consideration inter-departmentally for some time and I shall press to have progress in the matter speeded up.
16.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will issue a statement informing those who seek positions as au pair girls that they should insist on having a written agreement with their future employers.
As I indicated in reply to a similar question by the Deputy on 14th March last, Irish girls going abroad for au pair placement, who consult my Department, are advised to insist on a written agreement with their host families before they leave this country.
Provisions which might suitably be included in an agreement are suggested to them and they are provided with a copy of the model agreement embodied in the European agreement on au pair placement of the Council of Europe.