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Balbriggan language centre closure slammed

Thursday, 26 June 2008

A VITAL integration service for refugees and asylum seekers in north county Dublin is to close next month due to a total cut in funding.
Staff and students at the Integrate Ireland Language and Training (IILT) centre, based in The Glebe, Market Green, Balbriggan, are reeling following the Department of Education’s decision to redirect their funding to other bodies.
The centre has now been left with no choice but to close in July, sparking a huge amount of anger.
That anger was palpable last Friday when staff, students and supporters of IILT marched from Liberty Hall to the Department of Education’s headquarters in Marlborough Street to protest about the funding cuts, and also to mark World Refugee Day.
Balbriggan IILT is only one of a number of centres around the country that is facing closure, a move that will also result in the loss of 44 jobs nationwide.
Emer Mulligan, a member of local group, Cooperation Fingal, works closely with the IILT.
Ms Mulligan slammed the Department of Education’s decision and said no one else provides such a high standard of service.
“We have been working closely with Integrate Ireland to provide training in English but now that these closures have been announced, we don’t know where that leaves our students,” she told Northside People.
“These courses do not finish until October. They are very intensive and last up to 32 weeks. Many of the students simply won’t be allowed to finish.
“There are 25 people currently in two classes who have been studying at the centre.
“They are from Africa and mainland Europe mostly; they need to be integrated into Irish society – learning English is a huge part of this.”
Ms Mulligan pointed out that the centre has witnessed many of its students going from having little or no English to moving into full employment and even starting their own businesses on completion.
“Any alternative provisions made simply won’t be as suitable as what is currently provided,” she argued.
“The courses provided by the IILT are what works for this area.”
The Balbriggan centre currently provides intensive language classes to refugees, allowing them to fully integrate into Irish life.
Beginner and intermediate language classes are provided with students of all nationalities grouped together based on their ability.
The group also provides support for teachers in primary and post-primary schools with non-English-speaking immigrant pupils.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said they fully intend to provide sustainable long-term language facilities.
“The current debate is a consequence of the positive decision to put language provision on a sustainable long-term footing,” the spokeswoman told Northside People.
“This is fully consistent with the overall approach set out in ‘Migration Nation’, a statement on integration strategy and diversity management recently launched by the Minister for Integration.
“Delivery of these services is being mainstreamed and there is no loss of funding for such services whatsoever.”
According to the spokeswoman, the Irish Vocational Education Association has confirmed that it is happy to co-operate and collaborate with the Department of Education in the delivery of necessary English language services.
“The sector is already providing English language services for those whose first language is not English,” she added.
“Currently, services are provided to over 12,000 people annually.
"A further advantage of mainstreaming such provision through the VEC sector is the fact that the VECs have a nationwide network that can provide classes across the country.”

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