A Government-funded study on schooling in Dublin 15 identifies evidence of the phenomenon of "white flight" for the first time in the State.
The report found that in some places there is evidence of the emergence of "ghettos" inhabited only by ethnic minorities, and it calls for action from Government and local authorities to avert the problems found in other European cities.
By tracking pupils' movements over a number of years, the report found "quite a serious and significant trend of Irish moving out and immigrants moving in". Of 1,414 pupils leaving school in 2005-06, for instance, 518 left before reaching sixth class.
"This figure is equivalent to an astonishing 58 per cent of those transferring to postprimary schools," the authors write.
A breakdown of the data shows that, of those who left in the period 2003-07, 47 per cent were described as "Irish" and 53 per cent as "non-Irish" (defined as those whose parents were born outside the country).
But of those who joined, only 21 per cent were categorised as "Irish" and 79 per cent "non-Irish".
The report blames housing policies and the dynamics of the property market. Rapid development of new private housing in this part of north Dublin has led to a proliferation of rented homes, it points out.