Replying To Commodore:  "I think we have equal opportunities for education in Ireland, growing up relatively poor in Ireland in the 1980s, I was very fortunate to be able to pursue 3rd level education after my leaving certificate without fees and receiving a monthly grant.

I wouldn't have been able to afford to move further away, even with my part-time job and the grant, and my parents couldn't afford to pay that type of money, and I wouldn't have wanted to put that type of added burden on them. So I stayed local and worked weekends to support myself fully.

The opportunities are definitely there, its not necessarily easy, especially if holding down part-time jobs etc, but we are better off in this regard than many other parts of the world."

Replying To Freethinker:  "That is down to Donogh O'Malley. He introduced second level education for all. Prior to that, second level ed was for the well off. I was born a bit early for it, but my younger siblings benefitted. Anecdotaly, when he floated the idea originally he got no support from the civil service - it was a non runner, too expensive etc. He said, ok, then called a press conference and announced it anyway. Another who passed away too early."

Replying To BarneyGrant:  "Telling reference to the Civil Service. Professional Irish middle class with private school background has been a huge barrier to progress in genuine equality of opportunity here for 100 years. They produce very few innovators and actively impeded industrial and social development for decades."