Equality of opportunity in Irish education was promulgated as a national aim in 1916. The purpose of this study is to trace the trajectory of this objective in the first eighty-five years of the Irish State. While the goal of equality of opportunity was reiterated throughout, the rhetoric has not been matched by the reality. Weaknesses in the policy formation process itself have been identified, most particularly a reluctance on the part of successive administrations to prioritise the needs and rights of children and young people over those of vested interests, and an unwillingness to introduce rigorous and transparent mechanisms for the assessment of system performance. However, the evidence suggests that the primary reason for the failure to achieve the objective is a lack of political will and leadership on the issue.