Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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601. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the position regarding the reimbursement of fees in respect of a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26109/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As I understand it, the private sector college referred to by the Deputy closed because of claimed financial difficulties rather than being implicated in immigration abuse.

My colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, and I have established a task force to assist genuine students affected by these private sector college closures. Jointly chaired by the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Justice and Equality, the task force’s first priority is to establish the number of genuine students affected by the closure of private sector colleges in recent weeks, how many students have been accommodated in other colleges within the sector and what more can be done to assist international students. The work of the task force is at an advanced stage.

As an EU national the student in question does not require a permission to be present in the State. The matter of reimbursement of fees is a private matter between this EU national and the private sector college in question. However, the Student Review Office of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service will forward the details of this query to Marketing English in Ireland (MEI) a representative body for a group of ACELS accredited English Language Schools for their attention.