Education Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 November 2018

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Questions (81)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

81. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the IDA and other State agencies only promote third level institutions abroad; his views on whether this is a missed opportunity; if his attention has been drawn to the way in which Canada's national and regional schools, public schools and private schools are promoted internationally and the success Canada has had in attracting international students; if he will consider including second level schools (details supplied) to promote the high-quality Irish educational programmes abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50052/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Department of Education and Skills is supportive of short-term school-level exchanges for cultural and academic reasons but does not support longer term placements of international students in our State school system for commercial purposes.

At school level, this Department is focused on meeting the demand for school places that will arise from the significant demographic increases expected in the coming years from our own population, to ensure that every child here will have access to a school place and that our system will continue to be in a position to accommodate our own increasing pupil numbers.

The Government’s International Education Strategy is focused on Higher Education (HE) and English Language Training (ELT). The promotion of international higher education is the responsibility of Enterprise Ireland, working with the sector through the Education in Ireland brand. It is also the Government's policy that ELT schools operating under the Education in Ireland brand will be promoted once the legislation and arrangements for the proposed new International Education Mark system are fully in place and operational.