On the up: numbers sitting Leaving Cert Applied

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.