Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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677. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the ability of non-Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services schools to appear on international registers to non-European Economic Area students. [13949/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Internationalisation Register includes information on education and training programmes which meet specified criteria. It is a reference point primarily for the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of the Department of Justice and Equality in considering visa and residency applications from non-EEA applicants wishing to study on a full-time basis in Ireland and to avail of a concession to take up casual employment in the State with certain restrictions. My Department has an advisory role in identifying appropriate criteria for the inclusion of programmes in the Register.

The types of programme eligible for inclusion in the Internationalisation Register are divided into two categories: (a) Degree Programmes and (b) Language and Non-Degree Programmes. In relation to category (b), one of the current criteria for inclusion on the register is that a provider of English language training has been recognised by the ACELS (Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services) voluntary scheme. However it is possible for non-ACELS recognised schools to have programmes included on the register because they either satisfy the criteria relating to category (a) or they comply with other minimum standards relating to alignment, accreditation and, in the case of English language programmes, minimum learning hours for students.

Further information on the current criteria for inclusion of programmes in the Internationalisation Register is available to the Deputy at the following link:

The Deputy should be aware that the Internationalisation Register will be replaced by an Interim List of Eligible Programmes for Student Immigration Permission (ILEP). Officials in my Department are liaising closely with officials in the Department of Justice and Equality on the arrangements for the implementation of the ILEP. These arrangements are at an advanced stage and will be submitted to Government for approval shortly.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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678. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline key improvements and quality assurances made within the English language teaching industry within the past year. [13950/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Ireland has a strong reputation for delivery of high-quality English language tuition. Many thousands of students from the EU and around the world come to Ireland for full-time or short-term programmes. The vast majority of providers of English language training in the State operate to a high standard and are motivated by the desire to enable learners to reach their potential. However, it is evident that a minority of providers do not operate to the same standards, with serious implications for students and the reputation of the wider international education sector.

For this reason, I announced robust regulatory reforms to the international education sector together with the Minister for Justice and Equality on 2nd September 2014. These reforms include specific measures to quality assure the English language teaching industry.

A key pillar of these reforms is a strengthened and more integrated inspection regime of providers of international education including English language colleges, which entails an enhanced inspection function for the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) and the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) which will be linked to Revenue, the Department of Social Protection and the National Employment Rights Authority. A number of reforms relating to the student work concession (under which non-EEA students have access to the labour market) were introduced on 1st January 2015.

A new quality assurance process to control entry by English language providers to the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) – the list of eligible programmes for immigration purposes – is being finalised by officials from my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality and will be submitted to Government shortly for approval.

Another key pillar of the regulatory reforms is the International Education Mark (IEM) and related Code of Practice. The IEM was proposed in Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010 – 2015 as a means of enhancing the quality and promotion of international education in Ireland. The IEM confirms that a provider has demonstrated their capacity and commitment to provide a high-quality educational experience to international students. The Code of Practice includes requirements relating to the protection of enrolled learners, treatment of fees and tax compliance, and will also address other 'non-academic' issues such as recruitment, marketing and accommodation. Providers of English language training will have to demonstrate compliance with the Code before being authorised to use the Mark.

The Mark will be used both as a driver of quality assurance within institutions, including English language colleges, and as a marketing tool to underpin the promotional activities of Enterprise Ireland in seeking to attract international learners to Ireland. In addition, the Mark will be used for immigration purposes. From 2016 it will become a requirement that providers wishing to recruit English language students from outside the EEA have authorisation to use the Mark. English language providers authorised to use the Mark will also be subject to ongoing monitoring and review.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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679. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of random inspections of Accreditation and Co-ordination of English language services approved schools has increase in the past 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13951/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) operates ACELS (Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services), which is a voluntary scheme that grants recognition to English language teaching organisations annually. Under the terms of the regulations governing the operation of ACELS, all applicant schools undergo an announced site inspection during Stage 2 of the application process. With regard to unannounced inspections of recognised ACELS English language schools, these take place when: (i) There is a change of ownership of the English language school; (ii) A new general or academic manager(s) is appointed; or (iii) There is a change of premises, or an additional premises is added to the school (in this case the additional premises is inspected).

All English language schools with ACELS recognition are obliged to inform the ACELS Recognition Committee of any of the 3 above changes and on that basis, an unannounced inspection is arranged. The English language school in question will not know the date of the inspection but will be aware that an inspection is forthcoming.

An unannounced inspection may also be triggered on foot of a complaint.

Therefore the number of unannounced inspections per annum is contingent on the number of incidents of the above. As an approximate estimate, there tends to be between 15 – 20 unannounced inspections per annum. There has been no decision taken to increase or decrease the number of unannounced inspections in the last 12 months.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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680. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has a defined long-term strategy in place to improve the international reputation of the English language teaching industry here. [13952/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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There is a well-defined national strategy in place for the provision of international education in Ireland. In September 2010 the Government launched its first international education strategy entitled 'Investing in Global Relationships: Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010-15'. Ireland's International Education Strategy represents a coherent approach to achieving a series of inter-related objectives including a more robust quality assurance process for the provision of international education and training and a strengthened student immigration regime. These measures are aimed at enhancing and promoting the reputation of international education in Ireland. A review of the International Education Strategy has been completed and work has commenced on developing a new Government Action Plan for International Education for the period 2016 to 2020.

A key pillar of this strategy is the International Education Mark (IEM) and related Code of Practice. The IEM confirms that a provider has demonstrated their capacity and commitment to provide a high-quality educational experience to international students. The Code of Practice includes requirements relating to the protection of enrolled learners, treatment of fees and tax compliance, and will also address other 'non-academic' issues such as recruitment, marketing and accommodation. Providers of English language training will have to demonstrate compliance with the Code before being authorised to use the Mark.

The Mark will be used both as a driver of quality assurance within institutions, including English language colleges, and as a marketing tool to underpin the promotional activities of Enterprise Ireland in seeking to attract international learners to Ireland. In addition, the Mark will be used for immigration purposes. From 2016 it will become a requirement that providers wishing to recruit English language students from outside the EEA have authorisation to use the Mark. English language providers authorised to use the Mark will also be subject to ongoing monitoring and review.