The latest sobering statistics on third-level access highlight that going to university remains a middle-class concern.
Children from homes where the principal earner is unskilled or semi-skilled are more likely to drop out of school and into a low-paid job than make it to college.
What is most surprising is that during a time of economic prosperity there has been so little improvement in the numbers of disadvantaged pupils getting to college.
According to the last census, almost 8 per cent of the population are unskilled, with another 9.5 per cent semi-skilled. While these make up 17.5 per cent of our population, they make up just over 2 per cent of the university population.
The education landscape was transformed when the Labour Party minister for education, Ms Niamh Bhreathnach, abolished fees for undergraduate degrees. While this eased the pressure on many middle-class families, it did little for those in disadvantaged communities who were eligible for grant assistance anyway. Their problem was getting to the starting line.
According to the HEA statistics this remains the problem. While skilled manual workers are getting their children to university in greater numbers, those on low incomes are not. About 115 people (0.76 per cent) from homes headed by an unskilled worker made it to the starting line in 1997/98, up 14 on 1992/93.
Compare this with the 40 per cent of university students whose parents are from the managerial and professional classes, even though this group makes up less than a quarter of the population. Their presence at university is up from 35 per cent in 1992/92. In other words the middle-class dominance of university education has solidified.
These figures are expected to be reinforced next month in a report by UCD researcher Dr Patrick Clancy on third-level access. His conclusions, according to education sources, are expected to be downbeat, although he will note some progress.
One of the main problems in tackling inequalities at third level is that their source is at primary and second level. As one academic said last week: "There is no point in asking the universities to correct the mistakes that are made back in 2nd, 3rd or 4th class".
There is also no point allowing school-leavers enter university if they are not academically or socially able for the experience. This has been a problem for the institutes of technology, where the drop-out rate from their courses is larger than the universities.
Trinity College, under the stewardship of its provost, Dr Thomas Mitchell, has sought to deal with this by offering "bridging courses" to pupils from disadvantaged areas.
These give the students - who have not obtained the required number of points - the chance to take a course at Trinity, but only after spending a year improving their academic skills and getting used to the college environment. The college would like to expand the numbers on these courses, but it needs additional funding from the Department of Education.
UCD also allows some disadvantaged students take courses and waives the normal CAO point requirements. This programme, called New Era, has been a success, with many students getting good grades. However, like the Trinity project the numbers are a small proportion of the student population.
Many ministers for education have grappled with the problem of third-level inequality. The current Minister, Dr Woods, has cited the area as his priority and has asked an expert group to come up with proposals within three months. This group is chaired by GP Dr Cormac Macnamara, and includes a cross-section of the education interests.
The report from Dr Clancy will be used by this group to frame its proposals. But as the Union of Students in Ireland has pointed out, there are plenty of reports outlining the problem and potential solutions, but what is needed is action.
Dr Woods has pledged to implement whatever proposals are produced by the group.
Emmet Oliver can be reached at eoliver@irish-times.ie