Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

159. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason no courses in the Irish language are listed in the interim list of eligible programmes 25 August 2016 for the granting of a student visa to study here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1075/17]

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

In May 2015 the Government announced significant reforms of the international education sector and student immigration. One outcome of the reforms was the introduction of the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) which replaced the International Register on a phased basis during 2015.

The list is open to any educational programme provider, public or private, who meet the qualifying criteria for inclusion on the list. These criteria broadly concern the following: transparency of ownership, good governance, adequate learner protection and high standards as regards student services and the physical environment. The criteria in no way limit the programme subject area. As such, the list is open to applications in any subject area and the choice of subject is at the discretion of the educational establishment and not my Department.

The ILEP already includes a number of Irish language higher education programmes. A particularly good example of which are a number of programmes listed by National University of Ireland Galway, including: Baitsiléir Sna Dána (Gaeilge & Léann an Aistriúcháin), Máistir Sna Dána (Cumarsáid), Dioplóma Iarchéime (Léann Teanga) and Máistir Sna Dána (Léann Teanga). Several other higher educational institutions, similarly, have Irish language programmes listed on the ILEP.