A Spanish au pair has been awarded almost €10,000 after winning a landmark case against an Irish family.

The woman was paid between €2.50 and €5 an hour, plus board, for between 30 and 60 hours a week.

She took a case to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), which ruled the family breached several employment laws.

It ordered that she should be compensated for money owned for work, rest, annual leave and public holidays - which the family accepted.

The au pair issued a statement, saying she hoped that au pairs will no longer be exploited as cheap labour.

Edel McGinley from the Migrants Rights Centre says the ruling makes it crystal clear that au pairs have to be treated as employees.