Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

108. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will issue a substantive reply to correspondence (details supplied); her views on the matter in view of the recent correspondence between her Department and the person; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3080/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

While a substantive response to the Deputy's correspondence has yet to issue due to the ongoing nature of the case, the Deputy will be aware that the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department has been engaged with the proprietor of the two colleges regarding major concerns on their operation of undergraduate and post graduate degree programmes accredited by a University in the United Kingdom.

I am informed that, following a routine check to compare student numbers registered with the Garda National Immigration Bureau and the student numbers the corresponding provider in Ireland had registered with the overseas accreditation body, significant discrepancies were uncovered between the non-EEA students registered to the colleges concerned and the overall student numbers registered with the accrediting University. The proprietor was alerted to this discrepancy on 14 August 2014 and requested to provide comprehensive statistics of the recruitment of non-EEA nationals. The proprietor responded on 5 September 2014.

My officials met with the proprietor, his solicitor and a senior manager from the college to discuss issues of serious concern on 20 October 2014. There has been subsequent correspondence between INIS and the proprietor in the intervening period which I understand has been copied to the Deputy.

My officials are continuing to engage with the proprietor of the colleges concerned. I understand that the Deputy has been copied on the most recent correspondence between INIS and the proprietor. A full response will issue to the Deputy's various queries once the various matters have been clarified with the proprietor. In the meantime, I have asked my officials to issue an interim response to the Deputy.