687 Deputy Máire Hoctor asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students taking part in the leaving certificate applied in 2009/2010 academic year; and the way in which this compares with the past few years. [5269/10]

The number of students taking the Leaving Certificate Applied programme is extracted from the returns made by post-primary schools of students enrolled as at 30th September each year.

The number of students enrolled in the Leaving Certificate Applied programmes during 2008/2009 was 3,867 in the first year and 3,230 for the second year of the programme. The respective figures for 2007/08 were 4,010 and 3,427.

The processing of 2009/2010 enrolments as at 30th September is under way and therefore final figures are not available at this time.