Homecare group Dovida has announced plans to hire up to 1,500 carers across the State to meet growing demand.
Dovida, formerly known as Home Instead, says it is expanding the range of services it provides. The business was established in 2005 to care for older people. The company says that one in 10 of its clients is now under the age of 65 with 1 per cent of all clients being under the age of 18.
The company says the positions, which it hopes to fill over the rest of this year will be a mix of full-time and part-time roles.
“The need for care and support in the home is growing as our society ages and personalised home support services for people of all ages and abilities are preferred to residential care,” said chief executive Shane Jennings.
“Our caregivers provide a vital service and make a tangible difference in the lives of people in communities all over Ireland.”
Dovida already provides home care services for almost 8,000 people across the State, some in a private capacity and others as under an agency contract with the Health Service Executive.
It currently employs around 3,800 carers.
“While we are looking to recruit caregivers in every county so we can increase capacity and provide care and support to more people nationwide, people living in more remote locations are less likely to receive the support they need than those living in urban areas,” a spokesman for the company said.
As a result, it said it was specifically targeting the recruitment of 140 people in the midlands region covering Westmeath, Offaly and Longford and 120 carers in the northwest (Sligo, Leitrim and Roscommon). Another 250 roles are available across counties Galway, Mayo, Clare and Limerick.
Dovida, which operates from 25 offices across the State, is part of an international business based out of Switzerland and with operations in Australia, France, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
Welcoming the job announcement, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, calling it a “very positive development” for communities across the State.
“Carers play an essential role in society. Dovida’s commitment to high quality care and the creation of up to 1,500 jobs is a real boost – not only in terms of employment but also in the standard of support available to individuals and families.
The Government announced last month that it was relaxing rules on some employment permits to plug shortfalls in sectors, including homecare. Minister Burke said the quota for general employment permits for homecare workers was increasing by 1,000 places.
The reforms will make it easier for people from outside the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the UK to get work permits, subject to meeting certain conditions, including a minimum salary of €30,000. Dovida’s Irish workforce represents over 60 different nationalities, with significant numbers form Brazil, India and Nigeria.
Dovida most recently launched a recruitment drive for 1,000 carers last August.
