Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017
156. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process for English language schools to become accredited by the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services, ACELS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42931/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra157. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services, ACELS, is currently taking new applications for accreditation from English language schools; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a number of providers are anxious to secure ACELS accreditation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42932/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together.
ACELS (the Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services) is a voluntary national scheme responsible for the recognition and inspection of English language schools. It is administered by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI. ACELS has been closed for new applications since January 2014, and it continues to operate on a voluntary, contractual basis for existing members.
The Deputy may be aware that a series of reforms to the student immigration system for international education have been implemented by the Department of Justice and Equality in association with my Department, in line with the Government decision of 19 May 2015. The key reforms include the restriction of the list of education programmes considered to justify the granting of permission to students to live and work in Ireland (known as the Interim List of Eligible Programmes – the ILEP).
As part of this process all providers of English language training wishing to recruit non-EEA students are now required to apply to the Department of Justice and Equality for inclusion on the ILEP. Further details on the ILEP criteria and application process are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, at: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Interim%20List%20of%20Eligible%20Programmes%20-%20ILEP.
It is important to note that the holding of ACELS recognition is not a pre-requisite for inclusion on the ILEP. English language schools without ACELS recognition are eligible to apply for inclusion on the ILEP. The first full iteration of the ILEP was published by the Department of Justice and Equality on 20 January 2016, and the ILEP is updated at regular intervals by that Department.
The ILEP is an interim measure until the introduction of the International Education Mark, IEM, for the provision of education to international learners, which is a core component of Government policy for the international education sector. The legislative amendments necessary to facilitate the introduction of the IEM are being progressed by my Department.
