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I have never once heard any contemporary of mine express the ambition of achieving political office in Ireland, writes HUGH McDOWELL

I GOT the feeling that, as a generation, we greeted the saga of Ivor Callely’s expenses (paid for by us) either with an apathetic shrug of our shoulders or a bemused “Who’s he?” It is symptomatic of the disregard that young Irish people have for politics and politicians. But Ireland’s youth will be paying the economic price for the profligacy and deceitfulness of those who went before us for years to come, so it’s vital that we find a way to encourage teenagers and 20-somethings to re-engage with the political process.