Sir, - Like Brian Dolan (July 31st), I am a so-called "young person". As an 18-year-old member of a political party I found his letter of great interest. Unfortunately, I find that young people equate all political parties with the seedy goings on in Dail Eireann. While most established parties have something or someone to hide, there is still an alternative. Small, independent and transparent political parties, in touch with ordinary people and free of the baggage of corruption, are a real choice for voters sick of constant scandal and lying.
This letter is not an attempt to gain publicity but a notice to young people that political parties exist outside Dail Eireann and some still stick to their principles and policies. Idealism is not dead; the present parliamentary parties just swapped it for Dunlop's patented "brown envelope" and Ben Dunne's wonderfully forgetful memory. In short, I urge young people to look around and try not to let revelations in Irish politics stop them from becoming active. - Is mise,
Ciaran Kelly, Workers' Party Youth, Hill Street, Dublin 1.