Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
1271. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if supports will remain in place for language schools to allow the industry to protect itself until it can return to business with the resumption of international travel for the next 12 to 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18365/21]
View answer1291. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will extend financial supports for the English language education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18769/21]
View answer1303. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if supports will be put in place to help the English as a foreign language sector recover from the Covid-19 downturn in trade. [18950/21]
View answer1312. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered providing additional supports to the English language training organisations which have been adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19343/21]
View answer1323. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to ensure that financial supports for this sector continue given that the English language, international student sector is entirely dependent on international travel in order to get students through the transitional period of gradual reopening; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19434/21]
View answer1324. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he has considered the plight of the English language education sector that has been decimated during the pandemic due to its reliance on international travel (details supplied); if much needed supports being provided will be extended until the sector has sufficiently recovered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19533/21]
View answer1350. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the interactions of his Department with an organisation (details supplied) since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20700/21]
View answer1355. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if financial supports for English language schools will be extended until the return of international travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20743/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1271, 1291, 1303, 1312, 1323, 1324, 1350 and 1355 together.
English language education (ELE) in Ireland is a broad and diverse sector with the vast majority of activity undertaken by private sector providers. I am aware of the important contribution made by this sector and of the challenges that are being encountered given the substantial impact that the Covid-19 outbreak has had on students, teachers and providers.
As part of the response to the pandemic, my Department established a specific Working Group for this sector. This group is comprised of representatives of relevant Government Departments and sectoral representatives of staff, students and providers.
As part of this process, the representative bodies for English language education providers have engaged with the Working Group surrounding their proposals for supports to aid the recovery of this sector. In this forum, the providers have been advised of the measures introduced by Government, as part of the wider Covid-19 response, to support businesses at this time. These measures included the temporary wages subsidy scheme (TWSS) to facilitate employers to keep employees on the payroll during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to retain this link for when business increases after the crisis. This temporary scheme was kept in place until the end of August 2020. Following the conclusion of the TWSS, it has been superseded by the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) which continues to provide payroll support to businesses. In addition to the subsidy that is being provided via the EWSS, this scheme also provides for a reduction in Employers PRSI.
Further to the above, the ELE provider representatives have been advised of the eligibility of businesses in this sector to apply, where appropriate, for further business supports made available by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment via Enterprise Ireland and through its network of Local Enterprise Offices. A full list of these supports and related information is available for providers here: https://enterprise.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/ .
My Department has received the most recent proposals for supports from the sector and is continuing to engage with ELE provider representatives in this regard as this sector moves towards its full re-opening and continues on a path to recovery.
