Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Obviously international education has been on the agenda for previous trips during the ongoing engagement we have been having in bilateral talks in terms of both trips to China and visits from Chinese delegations to Ireland. There have been significant improvements in terms of the availability of visas for those purposes, and indeed for tourism purposes, for Chinese people coming to Ireland.

As the Deputy knows, an international educational initiative was announced by the Government some months ago. It now forms a more co-ordinated and joined up framework between the Department of Justice and Law Reform, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and others, which is reflected in the improved arrangements now available.

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