THE Department of Education has received applications from eight groups to be patrons of 13 new primary schools due to open in the next two years.

THE Department of Education has acknowledged that up to 64 additional second-level classrooms will have to be built in the next five years to provide for a major population explosion adjacent to the Cork-Midleton railway line.

THE Department of Education has told the country’s primary school principals that they are charged with the implementation of child protection in their schools and not the bishops acting as patrons.

THE Department of Education has been accused of telling schools to cut pay and hours for secretaries and caretakers to fund shortfalls in money for books, buildings and other school necessities.

THE Department of Education is due to build a new second-level school in Kinvara, Co Galway — where the Mercy Order controversially plans to close its school.

THE Department of Education has conceded that its safety message for students travelling on school buses is not having the desired level of impact, reveal documents obtained by The Irish Examiner.

THE Department of Education has lifted a ban on second-level schools filling teaching vacancies after finalising a deal on moving teachers in four schools due to close next month.

THE Department of Education has revealed that it is involved in 250 cases before the courts.

THE Department of Education added more than 200 school inspection reports to its website yesterday.

THE Department of Education will provide temporary accommodation for schools enrolling new pupils during the school year in a growing Kildare town but parents must notify schools in advance of their arrival, Education Minister Mary Hanafin said yesterday.

THE Department of Education wants the practice of awarding senior positions in schools to the longest-serving teachers to be scrapped as part of the social partnership pay talks.

THE Department of Education has given assurances to school management bodies that the delivery of five planned new second-level buildings will not be affected by proposed changes to the ownership of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts.

THE Department of Education is monitoring the provision of religious and other education at a Muslim school in Dublin following concerns raised by inspectors.

THE Department of Education yesterday ruled out any changes to the sex education programme in primary schools following the Tánaiste's comments on allowing children as young as 11 access to the morning-after pill.

THE Department of Education will be criticised again in the coming weeks for significantly underestimating the bill for compensating thousands of abuse victims.

THE Department of Education has received applications for the opening of 16 new schools next September.

THE Department of Education has delayed a decision on proposals it sought for extra teacher-training places from a leading college, despite the shortage of primary school staff.