Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the practice of Irish colleges charging administrative fees and retaining deposits of up to 30% in circumstances in which classes are cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions; if advice has been issued regarding the treatment of refunds and fees alongside grants provided by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35986/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has no role regarding the arrangements around fees and deposits charged or refunded by individual Irish summer colleges in respect of courses nor with the terms and conditions pertaining to same. The normal consumer rights in such instances described by the Deputy would apply and, notwithstanding that, parents/guardians experiencing such difficulties would be best advised to engage with the college concerned.

In the context of the role my Department does play in support of the sector, the Deputy may be aware that a decision was recently made by consensus, on foot of a consultation process with relevant stakeholders, that Irish Language Summer Colleges would not operate this summer due to ongoing public health concerns regarding COVID-19.

Preparatory work is in hand on the part of my Department to advance a stabilisation package in the overall interests of ensuring that the sector is enabled, insofar as possible, to make a full return in 2022 - subject to public health advice.