Submission to the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment

December 2006

The Irish Council for International Students ( ICOS) is an independent, non-profit organisation formally established by representatives of Irish universities, with the encouragement of the government, in 1970. Its stated aims remain as they were then: to promote the general welfare of international students (and trainees) in Ireland, and to encourage the best possible policy and practice at national and at institutional level. It can be seen, and has largely seen itself, as a specialised student service agency, which provides direct services to students, to third-level institutions and to government

International Education in Ireland
Income from tuition fees provided by international students studying in Ireland, as reported by the IEBI, is Eur 140 million for the 2004-05 academic session. Other living expenses for students generate an estimated Eur 162 million bringing the total estimated revenue from international students to over Eur 300 million. (IEBI - Report International Students in Higher Education in Ireland 2005)

It is against this background and in recognition of the important contribution that international students make to the third level education sector that this submission is lodged.

Submission
This submission (December 2006) is made on foot of a meeting between Department officials and a delegation from ICOS on 2 November, 2006. While the DETE made it clear to ICOS that regulations providing for the introduction of work permits for non-EEA students will be introduced in 2007, the detailed arrangements have yet to be worked out. This submission is a response to DETE's invitation to ICOS to expand on some the points raised at the meeting and to suggest some ways in which the institutions could cooperate with the Department to facilitate the operation of the new scheme.