Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
847. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of inspections, unannounced inspections, random spot checks or otherwise, carried out in relation to English language schools, by category in each of the years 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10214/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, English language schools in Ireland operate under the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), introduced in 2015, which is a restrictive list of education programmes eligible for international student immigration purposes. The list is used as a reference point for the immigration function of my Department in considering visa and residency applications from non-EEA applicants wishing to study on a full-time basis in Ireland. ILEP will be superseded by the new TrustEd education mark over the next year.
Providers must remain in compliance with the relevant criteria to retain a listing on the ILEP. My Department monitors compliance and any education provider may be subject to unannounced inspections, on-line monitoring, or random spot checks to ensure its compliance with ILEP criteria, and this includes the maintenance of records and reports. These may be requested by my Department at any time and failure to do so can result in the removal of a provider from the ILEP.
A detailed breakdown of compliance measures along the lines requested by the Deputy is not available but the number of inspections is detailed in the table below.
I can advise that inspections are only one piece of a suite of compliance activities. Once a provider is listed on the ILEP, they are required to notify my Department of matters such as, but not limited to, any changes to the ownership of the school, change in locations or additional centres, changes to their academic management or teachers, and student capacity numbers.
All ILEP listed English language schools are required to submit information on a weekly basis and includes data on enrolments, attendance rates and expulsions.
I can assure the Deputy that there has been a high level of compliance regarding data provision for immigration compliance purposes. All schools are aware of the consequences of non-compliance, and that failure to adhere with ILEP criteria may result in removal from the list.
The number of English Language schools that potentially could have been subject to physical inspections in 2025 was 86. The table below shows the number of in-person inspections carried out by my Department from 2020 to 2025.
|
Year |
Number of Inspections |
|
2025 |
4 |
|
2024 |
2 |
|
2023 |
3 |
|
2022 |
2 |
|
2021 |
0* |
|
2020 |
7 |
*It was necessary to halt inspections during the pandemic due to the public health restrictions. However, monitoring activities still continued, involving routine or specific requests for records and information relating to compliance with requirements and sector-wide surveys.
**Up to and including 2024, the Garda National Immigration Bureau carried out further inspections for counties within their remit before the transfer of registration functions to my Department was complete.
