Many private schools around Ireland are experiencing a boom as parents are once again putting their children’s names down for enrollment for classes that won’t begin until 2027 - a sure sign that the sector has turned a corner since the recession. During the recession a signifcant number of the fee paying schools met with the Department of Education about entering the free scheme.

However the tide has turned again and according to exclusive private school Glenstal Abbey director of admissions, Noelle O’Brien, numbers are up and boys are enrolled up to the year 2027. Ms O’Brien is quoted in the Limerick Leader:

“Our numbers are up to 237, that’s an increase of 19 on last year. We have taken in 65 new students from first year to fifth year - local, national and international. We had to turn people down for places in fourth and fifth year - we don’t take any students in sixth.
“We are oversubscribed by a third for first years in 2016. We are currently inviting applications for first year in 2017,” said Ms O’Brien.

Currently fees for boarders at Glenstal Abbey stand at €17,950 and €10,600 for day boarders. In other top private schools around Ireland such as Alexander College in Dublin 6, day fees currently stand at €6,785 per school year. In Bandon Grammar School, Cork, day fees are €3,080 per year. In Dublin City, with a large student population, Belvedere College fees per year are at €5,250 for 2015. Finally, at Blackrock College in county Dublin fees stand at €6,500.

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