Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

18. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has considered bringing English language teachers or English language schools under its aegis; if she will provide details of any meetings she has had with other Departments, or with stakeholders, on the EDL sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22022/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run and there is a diverse range of English language courses on offer which vary considerably in duration and intensity. There are no plans to bring English language schools or English language teachers under the aegis of my Department.

The Deputy will be aware that Government has recently approved a package of reforms to the student immigration system for international education. My Department liaised closely with the Department of Justice and Equality in preparing these reforms. There has been an ongoing engagement with other key stakeholders in the international education sector in relation to these regulatory changes, in particular through the Task Force that was established in May 2014 to find solutions for the students affected by the closure of a number of private colleges. The Task Force comprised membership from my Department, the Department of Justice and Equality, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, Enterprise Ireland the Irish Council for International Students and representatives of the higher education and English language colleges.

My two priorities in introducing these reforms have been to protect the students who come to study in Ireland, and to protect our national reputation for offering high-quality education. I believe that these reforms will deliver on both of those important priorities.