Gardai investigate claim that language schools are faking attendance records

Gardaí are investigating a number of language schools which are alleged to be be providing students with attendance records, even if they do not show for class.

Attendance records are required for the renewal of residence permits for non-European Economic Area students. Complaints have been made that unregulated language schools are providing students with full records, for a fee of between €634.87 (£500) and €1269.74 (£1,000).

The Garda National Immigration Bureau began inquiries into a number of schools last year with regard to their professional and financial situations.

Up to five schools are part of an "in-depth investigation" and a larger number are being "monitored" and checked for the number of students on the register. Gardaí are comparing registers in some schools which show "a huge amount of students but small accommodation". The professional qualifications of the teachers are also being checked.

In the case of one Dublin school, a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, with the involvement of the Criminal Assets Bureau and the National Bureau of Fraud Investigation. A substantial sum of money, believed to be about €380,921.42 (£300,000), was seized.

In December, another school which had classrooms in a Dublin city centre primary school closed with up to 250 students on its register.

One student who attended the school said that when students returned to the school after Christmas, the computers and all materials had disappeared and there were no classes.

Senior gardaí have refused to comment on reports that a Chinese woman connected to this school had gone missing. One student who declined to be named said the woman had gone back to China.

The Academic Council for English Language Schools (ACELS), which has overall authority for language schools in Ireland, confirmed that as part of spot checks it had sent an inspector to the school recently, who discovered there were no students in attendance at the school.

One Chinese student said there were advertisements in an Asian shop offering to sort out visa problems for students with "attendance not required" and listing a sliding scale of fees for students depending on how long they were in the State without renewing their visas.

A number of Chinese students have complained that genuine students seeking to renew their visas are being harassed by gardaí. One senior garda maintained that officers had to question them about their records of attendance and studies.

The chief executive of ACELS, Mr Jim Ferguson, said his organisation publishes a list of approved colleges on its website. It says there are 110 recognised schools in Ireland.

MEI-RELSA (Marketing English in Ireland - Recognised English Language Schools Association) says it is very concerned about the "fly by night" schools which are damaging the reputation of recognised quality schools.

Mr Pat Short, one of its board of directors, said that schools were allowed to set up without any supervision.