Written answers

Thursday, 26 April 2018

Department of Education and Skills

Language Schools Closures

Photo of Willie O'DeaWillie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 151 of 19 April 2018, his plans to make provision for teachers in those schools who have not received their full salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18374/18]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Department has been coordinating with the Department of Justice and Equality on addressing the closure and has been engaging with the school, the students and key stakeholders to ensure this has been as orderly as possible in the circumstances.  

This school had come to the attention of both Departments as it had been subject to an inspection by the Department of Justice and Equality earlier this year in relation to the listing of its programmes on the ILEP (Interim List of Eligible Programmes) and the provider’s compliance with the criteria for inclusion on the ILEP. A listing on the ILEP is required for a provider to enrol students requiring immigration permissions.

Following the outturn of this inspection, the Department of Justice and Equality, in consultation with the Department of Education and Skills, took the decision to remove this provider’s programmes from the ILEP in line with the established procedures for this process.

The majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run. The relationship between teachers and private providers of education is based on a private contract, and issues relating to working conditions are a matter between the two parties and do not come under the remit of my Department. There is an extensive range of legislation in Ireland which protects the employment rights of workers in relation to equality, employment contracts, payment of wages and related matters. It is the responsibility of the employer in the first instance to ensure that their employees receive their employment rights. Where an employee considers that their rights have been breached, the individual can bring a claim under the appropriate legislation to the Workplace Relations Commission. In addition, the WRC is responsible for monitoring a range of employment rights through its Inspection Service.

The ILEP in its current configuration is an interim regulatory tool for student immigration until the introduction of the International Education Mark (IEM). Legislative measures to enable the introduction of the IEM are contained within the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018. The Bill is currently at drafting stage with the Office of Parliamentary Council (OPC) and is targeted for publication in the current parliamentary session. It is the intention that regulations promulgated in respect of the IEM will include a requirement that all obligations concerning national employment legislation are complied with by education and training providers seeking to access the Mark. 

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