Homecare provider Bluebird Care will create 510 new care assistant and support worker roles across Ireland over the next six months.

This is a significant boost to the firm’s workforce, as it currently employs just short of 800 people nationally and has 18 offices.

The jobs will be split across its offices, with the biggest expansion due at the North-East office covering Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. That office currently has just 10 staff and will take on an extra 80. Meanwhile, the more established Donegal & Leitrim and Mayo & Sligo offices will both take on 75 employees.

The company also operates in the UK, where it has over 130 offices.

Bluebird Care operations director Eddie O’Toole notes a recent report by industry body the Carer’s Association which shows that in “in order to manage the current carer to cared-for population ratios, Ireland will need an additional 44,289 carers by 2021”.

The company will advertise roles on its website and on fas.ie, the Irish National Training and Employment Authority, in the coming weeks.