Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 November 2014
499. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Justice and Equality her views on an extension of the deadline regarding a matter (details supplied) regarding programmes at an international college of technology. [41047/14]
View answerI have no plans to extend the deadline for the commencement of the reforms to the international education sector and student immigration system which I announced on 2 September in conjunction with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Ms. Jan O'Sullivan, TD. From 1 January 2015, non-EEA national students coming to study in Ireland can only receive an immigration permission to study on an Irish accredited higher education programme or in an ACELS/IEM recognised English language college.
These reforms are required to address the abusive practices within the sector in which a number of private-sector colleges are recruiting non-EEA nationals primarily on the basis of facilitating residence in the State and access to the labour market rather than delivering the education programmes which these colleges purport to teach. The recent closure of another college in Dublin illustrates both the necessity and the urgency of the reforms.
I understand that the particular college referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for ACELS recognition for its English language programmes, which would have allowed it to continue to recruit non-EEA students from 1 January 2015. However, following the comprehensive ACELS assessment process the college has been judged not to have met the standards required for recognition.
