Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of establishments here that are providing English language classes for Chinese students; the number of Chinese students that have come here to study English since 2007; the strategies that are in place or under consideration to increase the number of such students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41820/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Chinese students may attend any English Language Training Organisation (ELTO) recognised by the ACELS service of the NQAI, provided the student holds the appropriate visa and permission from the Department of Justice and Equality. 64 recognised ELTOs offer academic year programmes. My Department does not collect statistics on the number of students in ELTOs. However, Fáilte Ireland has recently engaged economic consultants to carry out a study of the English Language Training sector, with the aim of establishing the size and value of the sector in Ireland (including the number of students) and assessing the potential for future growth. The results of the study will be available in 2013.

Considerable efforts are underway to promote awareness of Ireland as an education destination in China, with a particular focus on higher education programmes, which can frequently involve an English language training component. Minister of State Ciaran Cannon represented the Government in China for St. Patrick's Day earlier this year and as part of his programme he undertook a range of education promotional events. The Department of Justice and Equality has also been working with the English language sector to develop targeted initiatives in China. More generally, Fáilte Ireland is responsible for the strategic development and promotion of the English Language sector. Their activities include specialist media and agent familiarisation visits, workshops bringing incoming buyers face to face with Irish tourism suppliers including Language Schools and in-market workshops and seminars for special trade contacts, direct marketing campaigns to overseas agents' consumer databases and attendance at major EFL fairs overseas.