We need to stop focusing so much on third level education as a means of improving yourself. Trades will provide you with a good living but it's expensive to take on apprentices I believe.You have to start somewhere, everybody does even if you have a degree in your back pocket, you do not start at the top.
You work hard, get experience, learn skills, study at night, move on to a new role with greater responsibility and salary.
I know plenty who have done so and right now it is an employee's jobs market.
One thing for sure is that this or any Government will not fulfil your dreams unless you make an effort yourself and fortunately, we have a decent social welfare system which should protect those who cannot get on in life for various reasons or simple bad luck and housing all our people and giving them a decent quality of life should be our aim.
If you come from a council estate and had a basic education it's about the best option available to you if you are lucky enough to be offered one. From there you can offer your family the opportunities you yourself didn't have, education wise.