Updated 13:30
A number of TDs have joined around 100 people protesting outside Grafton College in Dublin this afternoon.
The English language school closed its doors suddenly on Friday, leaving staff without a job and owed one month's pay.
A group of 25 teachers occupied the building overnight calling on the college to honour its commitments to staff and students.
They agreed to vacate the building following a garda request for them to leave.
Teachers occupy the Grafton College building in Portobello, Dublin, 03-12-2018
They are also demanding meetings with the CEO of the school and the Minister for Education Joe McHugh.
One of the teachers, Daragh McCarthy said the protests are on behalf of "all ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers in the country who I think will really empathise with our situation.”
“This is the third time this has happened to me; it is the third time it has happened to a colleague of mine," he said.
“We are speaking for the ESL teachers and for the industry as a whole.
“We feel we have to do this because it is just not being taken up in any serious way. We are resolute about this.”
Teachers occupy the Grafton College building in Portobello, Dublin, 03-12-2018.
He said there are protections in place for students - but “literally nothing in place to help teachers or offer any protection for them in the industry.”
He said the English as a Second Language (ESL) industry is a “huge industry in Ireland” – and is likely to grow after Brexit.
“We will become the English speaking capital of Europe,” he said.
“If this industry is not regulated for teachers, it looks bad for us as a European nation.”
#supportgraftonteachers @ELTAdvocacy has been inside with the #GraftonCollege Teachers occupying their school in Portobello. Clear demands. Pay them their owed wages. Give them the hearing they deserve with @McHughJoeTD. Create the protections they deserve. #UniteELT #ELT pic.twitter.com/YrWv52bxpr
— ELT ADVOCACY Ireland (@ELTAdvocacy) December 3, 2018
Legislation aimed at offering better to people in similar situations is due to be debated in the Seanad on Wednesday.
Protesters are expected to protest outside Government buildings while the debate on the Qualification and Quality Assurance Bill is taking place.
The teachers are calling for it to be fast-tracked and amended to include minimum standards of employment for teachers.
According to the Companies Registration Office the company behind the school has three directors - Saeed Rehman with an address in Lucan, Nicholas Christopher Kelly with an address in Wicklow and Uzma Saeed with an address in London.
Mr Rehman was known as the owner of the school by teachers and students.
Teachers protest outside Grafton College, Portobello tonight following the snap closure over the weekend. Teachers thanked supporters and media before occupying the building. None of the 23 teachers were paid last month either. #supportgraftonteachers #ELT #RteNews pic.twitter.com/TZG9sLf2UQ
— Gally Gallagher (@Gal_i) December 3, 2018
Meanwhile, the trade union Unite, which represents a majority of the teachers involved, expressed its “support and understanding” for last night’s occupation.
The union’s regional coordinating officer Richie Browne warned that Grafton College is just the latest in a series of colleges to have closed overnight leaving teachers and students high and dry.
Grafton College in Portobello, Dublin.
Students paid fees of €2,000 to attend Grafton College. Some students are required to attend college for their Irish visas to be valid.
Marketing English in Ireland (MEI), one of the main organisations representing language schools in Ireland, said students will be offered places in other colleges to ensure they can complete their studies in other colleges.
It said an information day will be held “in due course” to keep students informed on the situation at the college.
