More than four in 10 Irish parents think sending their children to a private school will ensure that they reach their full potential, according to new research.
However, the majority feel they could not afford to send more than one student to third-level education at a time, with almost three in five believing they will have to borrow to fund the cost of third level.
The study indicates that parents in Dublin - where many of the State's most prestigious fee-paying schools are located - are most likely to be "pro-private".
A recent Irish Timessurvey found that the number of students taking the Leaving Cert in most State-run schools in Dublin was down by up to 87 per cent. However, private fee-paying schools and "grind" schools have seen a surge in demand.
The new study, carried out by Behaviour and Attitude on behalf of Irish Life, found that the number who place their faith in fee-paying schools increases as their children get older and they have more experience of the system.
The survey involved face-to-face interviews with 1,193 adults in March 2007. Some 430 said they had children aged 21 or under.
Some 44 per cent of those with children agreed that sending their children to private school would ensure they reach their "true potential", while 63 per cent felt they could not afford to send more than one child to third- level education at the same time.
Broken down by region, 50 per cent of Dublin parents agreed that their child's potential would be better realised though private education.
This compares with 37 per cent of parents in the Leinster region, excluding Dublin, and 35 per cent in the Munster region.
Elsewhere,the Irish Life study found that a private education was linked to "maximising potential" by 37 per cent of parents with children aged up to five.
However, 48 per cent of parents of children aged 11-15 and 54 per cent of parents of children aged 16 to 21 felt this way.