✧ Regional coverage
Live-in Care Across Ireland
Dublin to the west coast, priced in euro. Assessment and any State funding run through the HSE — a different system from the UK, and one we work in.
- Care within a week Urgent starts often in 24–48 hours
- From €1,400 a week The same rate nationwide, not by postcode
- Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Regulates home care in Ireland
- 56 areas Covered across Ireland
Live-in care across Ireland
From Dublin and the commuter counties to Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and the rural west, families across Ireland want to keep parents at home for as long as possible. Searching for live-in care in Ireland usually means finding more than a few home support hours a day: someone who lives in, helps at any time and provides real company. We arrange live-in carers throughout the Republic, including Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Kilkenny, priced in euro.
How care is funded in Ireland
In Ireland, publicly funded home support is assessed and provided through the HSE, and many families find the hours offered do not cover evenings, nights or weekends. Some combine HSE home support with private live-in care. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, known as Fair Deal, helps with the cost of nursing home care but does not pay for care at home, which is worth knowing when comparing options. Nursing homes are inspected by HIQA. If a family member has been providing care, ask about Carer's Allowance and the Carer's Support Grant, and ask Revenue about tax relief on the cost of employing a carer.
Hospitals and getting home
Ireland's hospitals, including St James's, Beaumont, the Mater, St Vincent's and Tallaght in Dublin, Cork University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, University Hospital Limerick, University Hospital Waterford and Letterkenny University Hospital, are under constant pressure, and older patients who are well enough to leave sometimes wait for support at home. A live-in carer arranged privately can often be in place within days, so your relative can come home as soon as they are medically ready.
Rural Ireland and families abroad
In rural parts of the west, the midlands and the border counties, home support visits can be hard to arrange reliably, and distances are long. A live-in carer lives in the house, so support does not depend on anyone travelling each day. Many Irish families also have sons and daughters living in Dublin, the UK, Australia or America. A carer in the home gives them confidence that their parent is safe and has company, and we can agree how you are kept informed, wherever you are.
For couples, live-in care means staying together at home rather than one partner moving into a nursing home, and for someone living with dementia, familiar surroundings and one consistent carer often make a real difference.
Dublin, Cork, Galway and the commuter counties
In Dublin, families searching for home care are often supporting a parent in an established suburb such as Clontarf, Raheny, Terenure, Rathfarnham, Blackrock or Castleknock, while working long days themselves. The commuter counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow have grown quickly, and many older people now live some distance from their children. In Cork, Galway and Limerick, the pattern is similar, with rural hinterlands where home support is thin. A live-in carer brings the same steady support to a city semi as to a farmhouse, and one carer can support a couple.
What live-in care costs in Ireland
Live-in care in Ireland starts from €1,400 a week, one fixed fee for the agreed care plan rather than an hourly rate. The price is the same in Dublin as in Donegal or Kerry. For more complex needs, or where two carers are required, we will give you a clear quote once we understand the care involved. Call us to talk it through, or see our pricing.
What you get
What a live-in carer does
Being straight about the boundaries saves everyone a difficult conversation later.
Included in the weekly fee
- Personal care — washing, dressing, continence support
- Medication prompting and administration
- Cooking, meal preparation and special diets
- Light housework, laundry and changing beds
- Shopping, errands and prescription collection
- Getting to appointments and social visits
- Companionship, conversation and daily routine
- Mobility support, transfers and falls prevention
- Pet care — walks, feeding, vet trips
- A named care manager and 24/7 office support
Not included
- Nursing tasks requiring a registered nurse (district nurses continue to visit)
- The carer's food — the household provides everyday meals
- Household bills, rent or council tax on the carer's behalf
- Two-person handling where a hoist requires two carers (that is our Advanced plan)
Weighing the options
Live-in care, visiting care or a care home?
The three choices most families are deciding between.
| Feature | Live-in care | Visiting care | Care home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stays in their own home | Yes | Yes | No |
| Support through the night | Yes | Rarely | Yes |
| The same carer each day | Yes | Rota of staff | Rota of staff |
| Keeps pets and belongings | Yes | Yes | Usually not |
| Couples stay together | Yes | Yes | Often separated |
| Typical cost | €1,400 a week | Varies with hours | Varies by home |
Visiting care and care home costs vary widely by area and provider, so we don’t quote figures we can’t stand behind. See our pricing in full →
How it works
How arranging live-in care works
Three steps, and the first one is just a conversation.
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1
Tell us what you need
A friendly, no-obligation call to understand the situation, explain how the care works and give you an estimated weekly cost.
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2
Choose your carer
We send profiles of available carers matched to your needs. You can speak to them on a video call before deciding.
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3
Care begins at home
Your carer moves in and support starts, with a named care manager checking in regularly to make sure it's working.
Funding & regulation
Paying for care in Ireland
Home care is regulated and funded differently in each nation, so the route is not the same everywhere. Here is how it works where you live.
Read our full funding guide →Who regulates care here
Home care in Ireland is regulated by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). They inspect and register home care services to make sure standards are met.
Where funding comes from
Apply through the Health Service Executive (HSE). Home care support is arranged through the HSE, and residential care costs can be offset through the Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Fair Deal) — a distinct system from the UK, and costs are quoted in euro (EUR).
How we fit in
Live-in Care Direct is an introductory agency. We introduce self-employed carers to families rather than employing them, so you contract directly with your carer and keep the choice of who provides your care.
Our carers
The carers who could support you in Ireland
Our carers are spread across the UK, supported by regional care managers. Every one is interviewed in person, enhanced DBS checked and reference-checked before they are ever introduced to a family — and you choose who moves in.
- Interviewed face to face, never hired on paperwork alone
- Enhanced DBS checked, with references verified
- You meet and approve your carer before they start
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Gladys
Live-in carer
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Vistorine
Live-in carer
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Monica
Live-in carer
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Refiloe
Live-in carer
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Brenda
Live-in carer
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Patience
Live-in carer
Coverage
Towns and cities we cover in Ireland
We arrange live-in care in 56 areas across Ireland.
Leinster
Munster
Connacht
Ulster (Republic of Ireland)
Our services
Care services available in Ireland
Free callback
Speak to someone about care in Ireland
Leave your number and a care manager will call you back — usually within an hour, and always free.
- No obligation. A conversation, not a sales call — and never a call centre.
- A real care manager. Someone who arranges care every day, who can answer properly.
- Just two details. Your name and number — we don’t need an email address.
Or call us now on 0800 368 8558 Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week
Common questions
Live-in care in Ireland
Local answers on timing, regulation and funding.
Not seeing your question?
Our care managers answer these every day. A no-obligation call takes about ten minutes.
0800 368 8558Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week See all questionsHow much does live-in care cost in Ireland?
Live-in care in Ireland starts from €1,400 a week for one person, as a single fixed fee for the agreed care plan. For more complex needs, or where two carers are needed, we give a clear quote once we understand the care involved.
Does Fair Deal cover live-in care at home?
No. The Nursing Homes Support Scheme, known as Fair Deal, helps with nursing home costs but does not fund care at home. Publicly funded home support is assessed separately through the HSE, and some families combine it with private live-in care.
Do you provide live-in carers in Dublin?
Yes. We arrange live-in care across Dublin city and county, from the northside and southside suburbs to Dún Laoghaire, Howth and Swords, and in the commuter counties of Kildare, Meath, Wicklow and Louth. Most placements begin within a week.
Do you cover rural Ireland?
Yes, including the west, the midlands and the border counties. Because the carer lives in the home rather than travelling between visits, rural addresses are covered at the same price, and we can match carers who drive.
Can HSE home support and live-in care be combined?
Often, yes. Some families use HSE home support hours alongside a private live-in carer, or use live-in care while waiting for a home support package. Ask the HSE about your relative's assessment, and we can explain how our arrangement fits around it.
Are your carers in Ireland employed by you?
No. We are an introductory agency: we recruit, check and match experienced self-employed carers, and you choose who supports your relative. You agree the arrangement with the carer directly, and we remain involved for support, cover during breaks and replacements.