Eight out of 10 Educate Together schools opened over the last decade are still residing in temporary accommodation such as rugby clubs or community centres - awaiting the delivery of a permanent school.

State-run secondary schools are failing to provide students who opt out of religion access to another subject.

Education and training boards have rejected claims of a conflict in their involvement with surveys of parents in areas where they may seek to become new school patrons.

The Catholic Church has handed over control of just 11 schools despite efforts by the State to increase diversity in the education system.

Members of one of the country’s teaching unions are set to ignore a recent “ham-fisted” Department of Education demand to provide alternative arrangements for students who opt out of religious instruction.

School dropout rates in disadvantaged areas is almost twice that of the national average, despite significant improvements.

The choice of schools that parents have for their children has become a social and political hot potato, as pressure grows to remove requirements to be baptised to guarantee entry.

The word ‘apprentice’ prompts negative connotations in Irish minds, but our EU neighbours consider this trainee structure equal to academic qualifications.

Kyran Fitzgerald asks if the country’s costly obsession with sending students to college for

Plans to prevent the possible closure of secondary schools by teachers’ industrial action are being finalised by Education Minister Richard Bruton’s officials and school managers.

Homelessness charities say there are too many State-funded organisations dealing with those without housing, and some should be axed.

The State spent more than €19,000 for every homeless person in the country last year on services and supports alone.

Fears that upskilling courses could be privatised and ‘dumbed down’ as a cash-saving measure have prompted a threat of industrial action by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland.

Religious-owned secondary schools risk possible closure unless the Government reviews their less favourable public funding, a Catholic education group has said.

The Department of Education is continuing to pay wages to staff at some VEC creches despite the fact the facilities have been closed for some time.

School managers have rejected claims that they are unable or unwilling to deal with intimidating and violent student behaviour.

The Department of Education is considering applications from eight prospective patrons for control of a dozen new schools to be opened in the next three years.

Sixteen new Education and Training Boards will be established today to replace the 33 VEC's across the country.

The 16 bodies that replace city and county vocational education committees (VECs) must be left with enough staff to continue effective education and training, the sector’s representative body has warned.

Non-denominational school patron Educate Together will be involved in the running of secondary schools for the first time from next year.