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According to two reports this week, young Irish people - and men in particular - are bearing the brunt of the recession, with potentially devastating effects on their lives and the economy. Members of the so-called 'lost generation' discuss their plight. CARL O'BRIEN,Chief Reporter

THEY’RE BRIGHT and they’re eager – but they’re also unwanted. As the country struggles to cope in a credit-crunched world, it’s increasingly clear that young people are bearing the brunt of the country’s job losses. A grim pageant of statistics published this week showed just how stark the reality is. Unemployment is now running up to three times higher among young people compared to the rest of the population. Joblessness among the under-25s is reaching towards 27 per cent, compared with 9 per cent for the rest of the population. For young men the situation is even worse, with one in three in their early 20s out of a job.