English language school ordered to maintain ‘untouchable’ account for student refunds
Huge increase in refusal of study visas, court told
An English-language school in Ireland has been ordered to keep a "untouchable bank account" to safeguard refunds for students who have been denied visas to attend classes. Erin College, with locations in Dublin and Cork, along with Limerick Language Centre, could face closure if they are not reinstated into a Department of Education programme known as ELIP. This scheme allows the colleges to sell English courses to foreign students who need study visas.
Barrister Eoin Morris argued on behalf of both colleges, stating that there has been a significant rise in visa refusals, leading many students to be unable to enter Ireland for classes they had already paid for. The Department of Education had removed both colleges from the ELIP scheme due to dissatisfaction with their handling of refunds for students who were not granted visas by the Minister for Justice. Both schools have failed in their appeals against this decision.
Morris is seeking a judicial review of the decisions made by both the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Education. He has also requested interim injunctions against them, along with stays on the decisions that restrict the colleges' participation in the ELIP scheme. The applications were strongly opposed by Tony McGillicuddy, representing both ministers, who argued for strict financial restrictions to protect the unpaid student refunds. In Erin College's case, these refunds amounted to approximately €74,000.
Lucas Finelli, the director of Erin College based in Barcelona, testified that the number of visa-refused intended students has surged from 33 in 2023 to 456 in 2025. This sudden increase has caused serious cash flow problems for the college, which has been operating in English-language education for over 15 years. The estimated refund amount, €952,563, is equivalent to 28.82 percent of Erin College's gross income for June to December 2025.
A separate application was presented by Limerick Language Centre's sole shareholder, Sharif Ahmed Sarker, representing the Dublin-based school. The court heard concerns and additional complaints regarding this school as well. Judge Denise Brett granted an interim injunction to halt the department's decisions concerning both colleges but insisted on appointing an independent accountant to investigate the refund fees and prepare a report for the court.
Additionally, Brett ordered the establishment of a separate "untouchable" account for the €74,000 available for refund repayments, specifically for Erin College. Both colleges are pushing for an early hearing, ideally by mid-September.
Written by urgent.news from The Irish Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
