More than 20,000 places in the free second-level school sector in Dublin are unfilled, largely because of the surge in demand for private education and grind schools, new figures reveal.
Department of Education figures show there are 13,000 unfilled school places on the northside of Dublin and more than 7,000 on the southside.
In stark contrast, demand for places at almost all of the 37 private fee-paying schools in the greater Dublin area has increased sharply. Almost all enjoy full enrolment.
Hundreds of vacant school places are available in some of the best-known free education schools in the Dublin area.
These include O'Connell's and Synge Street near the city centre and suburban schools such as Sion Hill, in Blackrock, and Coláiste Éanna in Rathfarnham.
State-run schools in some areas of south Dublin - where some of the best-known fee-paying schools are located - have also seen enrolment figures drop sharply. Pupil numbers at Sion Hill have fallen from over 600 in the early 1990s to approximately 350. Enrolment at schools such as Oatlands College in Stillorgan and Marian College in Ballsbridge have also fallen significantly.
Education sources say they are dismayed by the huge fall-off in enrolment at these and other such schools which are highly regarded within the Department.
Many of these schools now have much better pupil-teachers ratios, and some have better facilities, than private schools but they are still struggling to fill places.
Estimates of unfilled places in Dublin schools include: Sancta Maria, Ballyroan (250); Belcamp, Malahide Road (200-250); Coláiste Éanna (200); Greendale Community School (600); Haddington Road, (300); Sion Hill (300): Rockford Manor (150): Synge Street (300); Holy Faith, Clontarf (200) and O'Connell's (600).
School principals say the rise in demand for private education has been caused by the increase in disposable income and the abolition of college fees in 1995.
As a result, middle-class parents are better able to afford average fees of over €3,000 a year for private education.
One source said: "There is an increasing group of middle class-parents who think something is better because you pay for it. They like to buy into the pomp of private schools."
The Department of Education's estimate on the number of unfilled places is based on the gap between the original pupil capacity of the school and its current enrolment figure.
While changing demographics are an important factor, fee-paying schools have seen their numbers surge, despite the shift in the youth population.
Enrolment at schools such as St Andrew's in Booterstown and private grind schools such as the Institute of Education has risen by over 25 per cent in recent years.
Education sources say the drop in enrolment figures at State-run schools is adding to their difficulties. Falling numbers can mean fewer teachers and restricted subject choice, especially for Leaving Cert courses.
Although school-entry exams have now been banned, many private schools hold interviews and/or aptitude tests to select their students.
One school principal in the State sector, whose school has suffered a severe drop-off in numbers, accused some fee-paying schools of "cherry-picking" the best students.
The new figures could increase the pressure on the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, to abolish State support for private fee-paying schools. At present this costs the State approximately €80 million a year. Mr Dempsey has said he has no plans to change the current system in which the State spends about €68 million on paying teachers' salaries in private schools.