The Government has failed to keep faith with those many hundreds of foreign students who came to Ireland to learn English at a language school. Some have found the school they came to attend has been closed, and the fees they have paid may not be refunded. While others, who are completing their studies, have found that with their school's closure they may receive neither qualification nor credit for their study time. All the students affected by the sudden closures – already three schools in Dublin have shut, and more may yet follow – have been left in a vulnerable position. Their visa status, issued on the basis of attending a language school, may be in question, while their prospects of transferring to other schools remain in doubt. In addition, some students are now in financial difficulty – and without enough money to return home.

The Government response to this unfolding crisis has been inadequate, and quite shameful. Indeed were roles reversed, and were Irish students overseas facing similar difficulties to those the overseas language students are now experiencing in Ireland, then the Government would be very forcefully raising its concerns with its international counterpart. How the Government handles this issue does matter, and for a number of reasons.

First, the Government has responsibility for oversight of the sector. And for some time the irregular activities of some language schools have been apparent. Low fees attracted large student numbers, and all too often this facilitated easy access for migrant workers who were less concerned with language learning. Ireland’s international reputation in the English Language Teaching (ELT) sector has been damaged. Some key educational markets are effectively closed to Irish language schools. The Government has sought to make Ireland a hub for international language study, where it can point to some success, with a 28 per cent increase in numbers between 2011 and 2012. That strategy is now in serious jeopardy.

Second, the Government has a responsibility to those students who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in difficulty, having been duped and in some cases defrauded. However, the Government has been slow to meet its obligations. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) has tried to find alternative courses for displaced students. But so far very few students have been enrolled, and the efforts of the Irish authorities have failed to impress foreign critics. The Irish Council for International Students (ICIS), which is dealing with 700 queries from students affected by closures, has also noted a lack of urgency from Government. The Government has certainly a moral obligation to ensure that those who came in good faith to study, and who have paid for their education, can continue to do so.