Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 April 2015
366. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a breakdown of the number of Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service inspections of language schools for each year from 2010 to 2015; the number of suspensions or closures that have resulted from these inspections; and the number of visas cancelled as a result of finding the students have not been attending class as claimed. [14562/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim in relation to language schools is to put in place an appropriate immigration regime to deal with applications from non-EEA students seeking permission to come to Ireland for the purpose of attending English language programmes. In that regard I, along with my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, published a policy document in September 2014 for the operation of such schools. As outlined in my response to PQ No 323 for today revised proposals are being worked on for submission to Ministers, aimed at taking forward the policy announced in September 2014, amended as necessary to take account of a High Court decision in January of this year in respect of the language sector.
The aim is to have in place an appropriate immigration regime to deal with applications from non-EEA students seeking permission to come to Ireland for the purpose of attending English language programmes. That includes ensuring that students are fulfilling the conditions of their permission, that the college is operating in a manner that can justify the granting of immigration permission to such students and that the immigration regime is consistent with public policy generally.
Part of the monitoring and enforcement of this regime is to carry out inspections and in that regard, I am informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that the number of inspections that were carried out by its personnel on colleges that offer language courses, either exclusively or in addition to other programmes, is as follows
|
Year |
Inspections |
|
2010 |
5 |
|
2011 |
12 |
|
2012 |
8 |
|
2013 |
21 |
|
2014 |
7 |
|
2015 to date |
3 |
The table above does not include any inspections undertaken separately by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. The level of inspections reduced somewhat in 2014 as the priority was to deal with the fallout of the closures of a number of providers and the consequences for the students. However arrangements have now been put in place that will lead to a substantial increase in inspections in 2015, in conjunction with revised reform proposals that are at an advanced stage.
A total of 14 colleges were suspended on a temporary (i.e. reinstated after certain issues were addressed), partial (in respect of certain programmes) or fully on foot of these inspections, of which it is understood that 10 have ceased trading.
No statistics are maintained on the number of student permissions revoked on account of failure to attend classes. Each case is dealt with on its merits.
