Since 1997, the overall number of Leaving Cert students has been decreasing.

Numbers sitting the Leaving Cert Applied however, have increased hugely since then, and although there was a slight dip this year it is accepted that after the initial growth figures have stabilised somewhat.

In 1997 the figure was 750; 1998, 1,700; 1999 - 2,092; 2000 - 2,682; 2001 - 2,815; 2002 - 3,026; 2003 - 3,299; 2004 - 3,520; 2005 - 3,404.