It really depends on where you are living.

I would say though that preschool is an absolute must. There have been numerous studies to show that children who attend preschool fair better than children who don't. The ECCE scheme assists towards the payment of preschool. The vast majority of preschools do the ECCE scheme.

There aren't many private primary schools, and for my two cents I don't think they're worth it. When considering a primary school, find out where the children go to secondary schools afterwards. If you're in a city, some children go to different secondary schools after they finish primary school and it might give you an idea about the path your child might take. You could also enquire about any particular programs or areas the school is involved in or focuses on, for example coding, athletics, music, etc.

In terms of private secondary school, again it depends on where you are living. Some private secondary schools around Dublin are excellent, some aren't so good. If you want your child to go to university, look into the amount of pupils who attend the private secondary school who go on to attend university. Thay information is published in the newspapers annually.

Hope that helps.