Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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75. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to a person (details suppled) in County Meath to apply for accreditation for a language school to teach English as a foreign language in view of the fact that the access to the ACELS recognition is now closed and the new IEM is not due until 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15719/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established through the amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), HETAC and FETAC in November 2012. QQI assumed responsibility for the functions undertaken by those bodies including those functions, such as ACELS, which are carried out on an administrative basis.

Since its establishment, QQI has been undertaking a comprehensive policy development programme, in order to put in place the policies and processes required to perform its functions under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012. During this process, QQI has prioritised the development of those policies required to allow new applications from providers who wish to have access to the awards of QQI, and those policies were published in October. QQI will continue to roll out its remaining policies over the coming months.

The operation of ACELS will be discontinued by QQI when its policies relating to the Code of Practice for the provision of education to international learners, and the related International Education Mark (IEM), are established. The Code of Practice and IEM will place the recognition and monitoring of the English Language sector by QQI on a statutory footing. QQI intends to publish its draft policy on international education for consultation in the summer, with the final policy being rolled-out in the second half of 2014.

Given the expected timeframe for their establishment, QQI decided to re-open access to ACELS recognition for a temporary period until 31 January 2014, to accommodate those English Language Training Organisations (ELTOs) which were ready to apply and which had expressed an interest in gaining recognition for 2014. Since that date QQI's focus has turned to the processing of those final applications and the transition to the new Code of Practice/IEM regime. Once in place, recognition of ELTOs by QQI will only be granted in the context of the Code of Practice and the International Education Mark. However, it should be noted that ACELS recognised ELTOs will not have an automatic entitlement to use the International Education Mark, but will have to demonstrate compliance with the Code of Practice and related policies.

It should also be noted that "accreditation" in this context does not relate to the making of awards by QQI. Instead, it simply refers to recognition of the providers concerned by QQI, which means they have demonstrated compliance with ACELS standards and are subject to ongoing monitoring and review by QQI to ensure their ongoing compliance. There is no mandatory regulation of the English language sector in Ireland and therefore providers are not required to have ACELS recognition in order to operate in the State. Indeed, many ELTOs choose to operate without such recognition.