Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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3370. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students studying English language courses in the State in each of the past ten years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42321/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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3371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the breakdown by country of origin of students studying English language courses in the State in each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42322/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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3372. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his Department’s strategy in relation to the housing needs of students studying English language courses in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42323/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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3373. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline in detail all inspections, reviews and assessments have been carried out by his Department into the quality and standard of courses provided by English language schools in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42324/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 3370, 3371, 3372 and 3373 together.

The provision of English language education in Ireland is a broad and diverse sector with the vast majority of activity undertaken by privately owned education providers. These providers recruit international students from both within and outside the EU. My Department does not collate data on the number of students studying English language courses in Ireland.

English Education Ireland (EEI) is the largest association of English language schools in Ireland, representing 63 member schools. According to EEI’s Annual Report on English Language Training in Ireland 2024, 128,761 international students from 125 countries chose to study in an EEI member school in 2024.

A copy of this report is available at: .

While a number of international students who travel to Ireland to study English arrange to stay with host families while in the State, the majority arrange accommodation via the private rental market. My Department does not have a role in relation to the provision of accommodation to English language students.

Education providers in Ireland wishing to recruit non-EU/EEA students are currently required to be listed on the ILEP (the Interim List of Eligible Programmes - the list of education programmes considered to justify the granting of permission to students to live and work in Ireland). The ILEP is managed by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, in conjunction with my Department. That Department conducts monitoring activities of providers to determine ongoing compliance with ILEP criteria, as well as compliance with immigration regulations. Monitoring activities can include inspections of providers at any time.

There are a number of actions being taken to strengthen the regulation of Ireland’s English language education sector. TrustEd Ireland - a new international education quality mark - is a key pillar of the Government’s policy for international education, as set out in Global Citizens 2030: Ireland’s International Talent and Innovation Strategy to 2030.

The TrustEd Ireland mark will be awarded by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) to higher education and English language education providers who have demonstrated that they meet new national standards to ensure a quality experience for international learners. The new TrustEd Ireland scheme will establish, for the first time, a formal quality assurance process for the English language education sector in Ireland and will provide QQI with statutory powers to regulate this sector.

To obtain the TrustEd Ireland mark providers will have to demonstrate compliance with requirements on corporate fitness, quality assurance and the protection of enrolled learners, alongside key criteria and practices surrounding the recruitment and admission of international students, information provision, student welfare, cultural awareness and academic support provisions.

In addition, providers must also demonstrate compliance with an associated Code of Practice. The Code of Practice for the provision of English language education programmes to international learners includes requirements in relation to accommodation services. The Code specifies that clear, accurate, transparent, accessible and up to date information on the availability of accommodation, whether provided by an English language education provider or not, should be made available to learners and other relevant stakeholders, prior to a learner’s enrolment on an education programme.

QQI opened the first application window for providers seeking to obtain the TrustEd Ireland mark on 14 October 2024. The assessments of these applications are currently taking place. It is expected that the first cohort of providers will be authorised to use the mark in late 2025. It is anticipated that the second TrustEd Ireland application window will also open in the latter part of this year.

When fully operational, and following a transitionary period, TrustEd Ireland will replace the ILEP for student immigration purposes. This means that providers wishing to recruit non-EU/EEA learners on programmes that require immigration permission or study visas will be required to apply to QQI for authorisation to use the mark.