Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 601: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the current cost for operating the leaving certificate applied course both from a teaching and examination point of view. [34313/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The teacher allocation to a second level school for a particular school year consists of the allocation warranted by the enrolment at the end of the preceding September, as determined by the current Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR), together with approved ex-quota posts (e.g. Principal, Deputy Principal, Remedial/Learning Support and Guidance).

In general a ratio of 18:1 is applied in respect of recognised pupils on established Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, repeat Leaving Certificate and Transition Year Programmes and an enhanced ratio is applied in respect of recognised pupils on the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, Post leaving Cert courses and Leaving Cert Applied.

With regard to the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, the first group of 20 participating pupils, irrespective of the programme year, attracts an allocation of 1.5 whole-time teacher equivalents. This allocation applies in the case of the first group even where the actual take-up of approved places is fewer than 20. Each additional group of 20 participating pupils attracts an allocation of 1.25 WTE.

My Department publishes data on the number of pupils following specific programmes in its annual Statistical Report. Although the report for the 2005/06 year is still in preparation, I can advise the Deputy that the provisional number of pupils pursuing the Leaving Certificate Applied programme in the 2005/06 school year was 7,414.

The State Examinations Commission has operational responsibility for the Certificate examinations. In view of this, I have forwarded the Deputy's query in relation to the examinations system to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 602: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost of supervising exam halls for leaving and junior certificate exams each year; if this cost is borne by schools or directly by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34314/06]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 603: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the cost of examining leaving and junior certificate exam papers each year; the number of students who have taken these exams over the past five years; the average cost per exam per student; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34315/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together.

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations, ensuring the preparation of examination papers and other examination materials and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination.

In view of this, I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.