Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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517. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has engaged with the Minister for Justice in relation to the situation in which language students on stamp 2 visas are being forced to leave the State at the end of May 2022 after two years even if they have to return for a post-graduate course in September 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26053/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Officials in my Department regularly engage with their counterparts in the Department of Justice in relation to the student immigration system and this matter has been discussed in that context. From the outturn of these engagements, my understanding is that this matter is currently under the consideration of the Minister for Justice.

The administration and regulations of immigration permissions are a matter for the Minister for Justice and queries related to these permissions should be addressed to my colleague in the first instance. 

Looking forward, my Department is currently working on a new International Education, Research and Innovation Strategy, the aim of which is to develop an aligned strategic framework which will support a Whole of Government approach to the sector. A public consultation has recently been completed which will inform the development of this Strategy and has provided an opportunity for stakeholders to highlight aspects of the current system which can be developed and improved. My officials will continue to raise any issues identified through this process in discussions with their counterparts across Government and the education sector.