The Health Service Executive is to begin a review into the standard of care being provided to 65,000 older people who receive care in their own homes.
It follows a four-month undercover investigation by Prime Time Investigates, which found shocking and appalling standards of care by a number of home care providers.
The home care industry is worth €500m a year.
There are currently an estimated 150 companies providing such care in Ireland, compared to ten a decade ago.
Yet it remains unregulated, as there are no standards and no legal obligation on the home care providers to check staff.
Prime Time Investigates sent a number of people to work undercover as care workers for some of these firms.
The investigation uncovered companies hiring workers with no training, no garda vetting and no checking of references.
Following the RTÉ investigation, the HSE says it will begin a review into the care given to 65,000 older people in Ireland.
In a statement this evening it said it is 'taking seriously the concerns raised in the Prime Time programme'.
It added: 'Contact is being made with the organisations featured and a review of contractual arrangements in place for clients is under way.
'The HSE has been assured by one of the companies that staff members have been suspended pending a full investigation.
'Services nationwide have been alerted to the issues raised by Prime Time so that they can review arrangements with service providers for those in receipt of Home Help or Home Care Packages over the coming days to ensure that they are appropriate to the clients needs.'
The HSE's information line 1850 24 1850 will open at 8am tomorrow morning.
Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said: 'It is not acceptable that people who are not Garda vetted can work in the homes of vulnerable people, where they are often in the home on their own with the older person.
'The State has an obligation to ensure that vulnerable people are protected from those who may prey on their vulnerability, and adequately cared for by those entrusted to care for them.'
