If The Bedroom Walls Had Ears
Ann Marie Kelly is a broadcaster and documentary maker. On this Podcast you will find examples of her work including episodes from young people finding hope and purpose during Covid. The series also includes material Ann Marie Kelly has uploaded from her Radio shows as broadcast on Midlands 103.
If The Bedroom Walls Had Ears
Episode 3 Nick O Neill
"The Pandemic has exposed the extremities of the working conditions of the Carer in the Private Homecare Sector. Not receiving sick pay, not being able to make ends meet".
25 year old Nicholas O Neill from Abbeyleix believes his research can make a change.
Being the first in his family to go to college, Nick has just received a substantial award to undertake a PhD with his research.
After jaw dropping findings, the research became 'like a piece of investigative journalism' when Nick and his Supervisor realised no one had documented what's going on in the homecare sector in Ireland.
Nick's focus is now on the gap between a HSE worker and the Private Care worker.
"By outsourcing care to the private sector, it's much cheaper than employing HSE carers".
"Ireland uses a model which cuts costs as much as possible. Private care providers are run as a business with a for-profit ethos, usually this comes at the expense of the workers". He finds they suffer the most because of the lack of government regulation in the Private Sector. He's giving a voice to carers who have been on the front line.
"It's always been my focus if I get into academia, to put out research that is actually relevant to people. I hope that the research I'm doing can lead to positive change".