Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
140. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the English language industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12883/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra149. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to assist a sector (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12957/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra156. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a document (details supplied); if she is considering introducing the measures outlined; her plans to engage with the groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12969/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is conscious of the issues in the English language education sector arising from the Covid-19 outbreak and has established a specific Working Group for this sector. This group is comprised of representatives of relevant Government Departments and representatives of both students and English language education 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 include the temporary wages subsidy scheme to facilitate employers to keep employees on the payroll throughout the Covid-19 pandemic in order to retain this link for when business increases after the crisis. This scheme is administered by the Revenue Commissioners and is available to providers in the English language education sector. Additionally for those staff in this sector who have lost their jobs because of the pandemic, they are eligible to apply for the Government’s Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Further to the above, the 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 Business, Enterprise and Innovation 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://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/.
My Department will continue to engage with provider representatives as we move forwards and the sector re-opens.
