Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the concerns raised in correspondence regarding English language schools (details supplied). [24519/09]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that my Department is currently engaged in a review of the immigration regime for full time non-EEA students, including the English language sector. Initial consultation with the relevant Government Departments is well advanced and, subject to the matter being brought before Government, I expect to publish draft proposals in the near future. At that time, it is envisaged that all relevant stakeholders will be afforded the opportunity to make submissions on the draft proposals and on student immigration issues more generally before any final proposals are settled.

The purpose of the review is two fold. First, there is a need for greater coherence in the way we deal with non-EEA students via a transparent system that is consistent with Irish immigration policy generally. Secondly, it is generally accepted that there is a need for greater regulation in the student area. It is commonly accepted that the behaviour of a minority of educational establishments has damaged the reputation of the sector as a whole. The fact that the Government is taking significant steps in overhauling the regulation of student immigration can only be of benefit to reputable providers. The English language sector provides useful employment in this country and clearly there is potential for its further development.

The correspondence to which the Deputy refers criticises the visa process and appears to argue without significant justification that this is the main reason why certain other destinations have a larger market share. References to refusal rates while not irrelevant need to be understood in context. Direct comparisons as to refusal rates can only be made if they relate to applications of equal credibility. It should also be noted that many of the persons attending courses in Ireland are from the EU and are clearly not visa required. The way to increase acceptance rates is not to lower standards but rather to ensure that Ireland is the destination of choice for credible applicants. Reform of the regulatory environment and increased transparency are key to this process.

I would however like to comment on the issue of processing times for visas applications. Although the INIS website states that visa applications are processed in six to eight weeks, in fact most applications are processed much faster than that. In our dedicated overseas offices, visa applications are processed typically in two to three weeks. Applications referred to Dublin are generally being turned around within five days of receipt in Dublin.