Jack Educational disadvantage in the Education Act (1998) is defined as the “the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage that prevents students from deriving appropriate benefit from education in schools.” Basically it refers to individuals who do not get the same benefit as their fellow students from educational opportunities. This manifests itself through lower participation in the school education system and little or no qualifications at the end of the educational process. Educational disadvantage is closely aligned to poverty, with many children from the lower socio economic demographic participating in the education system. Other factors that can contribute to educational disadvantage include disability, ethnic minority background, learning difficulties, poor health and literacy problems (dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc). Children coming from low income families, particularly those families dependent solely on social welfare find it harder to meet the many financial costs associated with education in Ireland. Uniforms, school books, school bus fees and extra curricular activities cost money. They are often the very things that suffer, when parents are struggling financially. It is embarrassing for children to admit that their parents are struggling or worse again to admit to their peer group that they can’t afford such basic items. Teachers & schools should help such children and their parents by making them aware that schemes such as the