Venezuela stops funds to students in Ireland

Venezuela has moved to block its citizens studying at English language schools in Ireland following the growing scandal around the standards applied by some companies.

Students will be prevented from getting visas to travel here to learn English and those already here, are facing restricted access to financial support from families in their home country.

The move by Venezuela came after a number of scandals emerged at English language colleges including the controversy at Eden College where its liquidator, Anthony Fitzpatrick, has applied to freeze the assets of its directors.

This application was made to the High Court after lump sums with a total value of €403,000 were taken from the company’s bank account between September 2012 and February 2014.

The liquidator told court these may have been to the detriment of the firm’s creditors.

There are several thousand Venezuelan students in Ireland but tight restrictions on access to euros in the South American country mean that its government effectively controls its citizens’ access to the currency.

Students from Venezuela already here, will be allowed to be sent enough money to return home but not to continue their studies.