Annually a little over 2,000 young people leave school in Ireland without any formal qualification (i.e. before taking the Junior Certificate). Indeed, according to the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) an estimated 1,000 pupils do not transfer annually from primary to post primary education. More often than not educational disadvantage is the reason behind this early school leaving. In the context of adults, this article will examine educational disadvantage in Ireland and its impact on citizenship and participation in Irish society.