Number of students attending fee-paying secondary schools hits highest level in a decade

Mark O'Brien of St Michael's College is tackled by Niall Comerford of Blackrock College during the Bank of Ireland Leinster Schools Senior Cup last year. Blackrock College is the country's largest private school.

The number of pupils attending fee-paying secondary schools in Ireland has reached its highest level in a decade.

New figures published by the Department of Education show a total of 25,881 students were enrolled in private post-primary schools in the 2019/20 school year – an annual increase of 1% with an extra 275 pupils enrolled compared to the previous year.