Court orders school to keep account for student refunds

The High Court has ordered Erin College, an English teaching institution with locations in Dublin and Cork, to maintain an untouchable bank account to safeguard refunds for fees paid in advance by foreign students who have been denied visas to attend classes. If the college and its partner, Limerick Language Centre, fail to restore Erin College to the Department of Education Programme (ELIP), which permits them to sell English courses to foreign students needing study visas, they could face closure.

Barrister Eoin Morris argued that there has been a significant rise in study visa refusals, leading to many students unable to attend paid classes and now seeking refunds. The Department of Education had removed both colleges from the ELIP scheme due to dissatisfaction with their refund handling. Both schools have appealed against the minister's decision, seeking interim injunctions to prevent further participation in the ELIP scheme.

Tony McGillicuddy, representing both ministers, insisted on stringent financial restrictions to protect unpaid student refunds, which totaled around €74,000 for Erin College. Lucas Finelli, Erin College's director, stated that the college has been operating English-language education for over 15 years and that the visa refusals have caused severe cash flow issues, with visa refusals increasing from 33 in 2023 to 456 in 2025.

Judge Denise Brett granted an interim injunction and ordered the creation of a separate untouchable account for the €74,000, pending an independent accountant's investigation into the refund fees of both colleges.