PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS Minister Mary Harney has appealed to people who support winding up the party to attend a special meeting in Mullingar today which will decide on its future.
Her comments came in response to a move by a group of party activists to defeat the plans to wind up the PDs after 23 years in existence.
Ms Harney acknowledged that people in favour of continuing the party were more likely to travel to Mullingar but she repeated her view that the PDs did not have a capacity to elect people to the Dáil.
Ms Harney said she would not be threatening or bullying the membership, but she would have to reflect on her position in the party should they vote to stay in existence.
"The essence of a political party is to elect people, particularly to the Dáil, and unfortunately I do not believe we have that capacity any longer," the Minister said.
"I thought long and hard about it before I came to the conclusion that the party didn't have a future. If the members decide it has, that is something I will have to reflect on over the next few days," she said last night.
The party's four Oireachtas members, two TDs and two Senators, all favour the winding up of the party but the move is meeting stiff resistance from some members.
One leading opponent of the move, who did not wish to be named, said last night: "The members feel betrayed. Mary Harney doesn't feel the party has a future she sees herself staying in office as a Minister for the foreseeable future." He said there was now open hostility to the parliamentary party from many of the members who found it difficult to let go after 23 years of commitment.
An open opponent of the move to wind up, long-standing member Tadhg Kearney, said last night that in the current economic climate there was room for a centre-right party.
About 400 delegates are expected to attend today's meeting and a result is expected around teatime.
Those who favour the party continuing point to the fact that the Progressive Democrats get €250,000 a year in State funding, based on the result of the 2007 election, and this will continue until the next general election. However, it is clear from her comments yesterday Ms Harney does not see any future for herself in the party and the same is true of TD Noel Grealish and Senators Fiona O'Malley and Ciarán Cannon. Ms O'Malley said although her father, party founder Des O'Malley, will not be at the meeting, a message from him will be read to members.
