Analysis: The party is content with its relationship with Fianna Fail, writes Arthur Beesley
As the PDs met in Killarney, there was not a hint of frustration with their Fianna Fáil coalition partners.
On the contrary, senior PD figures reserved high praise from the conference platform for Fianna Fáil Ministers such as Micheál Martin and Charlie McCreevy. The most prominent of all laurels were from Tánaiste to Taoiseach, when Ms Harney used her televised speech to salute Mr Ahern for his stewardship of the peace process and the Irish EU presidency.
Their relationship in Government has withstood extreme strain over the PDs' resistance to the "Bertie bowl" project and allegations of corruption in Fianna Fáil. These days, however, there is scant evidence of disharmony in a coalition that prides itself on its economic record. Ms Harney's close political ties with Mr McCreevy are renowned, but the strength of her relationship with Mr Ahern is often overlooked.
Neither leader seems particularly interested in a big job in Europe and both are determined to head their parties into the next general election. With the only tantrums since the Government was re-elected coming from the FF backbenches, something akin to the seven-year itch in reverse seems to be in operation.
The PDs will campaign in the local election on the basis of their record in office, as the party seeks to consolidate the progress they made in the general election.
Thus there was no shortage of PDs willing to take the credit this weekend for initiatives such as decentralisation and the removal of restrictions on one-off rural housing.
If such projects smack of Fianna Fáil populism in overdrive, then the PDs can be populist too. Remember Charlie McCreevy speaking of Tom Parlon having "out-Fianna-Fáiled Fianna Fáil" when his "Parlon Country" posters appeared in Co Offaly within hours of the decentralisation announcement.
For PD purists, there were many repetitions of the party's low-tax dogma and knowing nods to the principles of liberal economics that are at the heart of the party's philosophy.
When it came to nitty-gritty of policy, Ms Harney signalled new commitments to increase tax bands in line with inflation and protect average-income workers from taxation at the higher rate.
The PDs will use such measures to counter the impression that their religion of tax reform was diminished by acceptance of taxation by stealth once the public finances came under pressure. Such moves would cost the Exchequer €400 million if introduced in the next Budget.
Ms Harney also said that community services for the elderly should have the "first call" on the Government's annual €500 million contribution to the special savings scheme when the scheme ends. This was the caring side of Ms Harney, on show at the end of a week in which the Government faced a torrent of adverse publicity over the removal of a social welfare entitlement for widows.
The Tánaiste stood firm behind the health reform principles outlined in the Hanly report and she the Government would not yield in its commitment to break up Aer Rianta and CIÉ. Referring to industrial action by transport and postal workers, she said social partnership would fail if it ceased to be a force for change.
If her emphasis on transport competition was more Boston than Berlin, a crucial message from this conference came from another city altogether: Madrid.
Prof Manuel Maynar Melis, builder of the Madrid metro, outlined a "can-do" approach to infrastructure in a bravura presentation to delegates. Characterising underground rail as merely "tubes and boxes", he said the Government should dispense with lawyers, managers, special advisers and fancy architecture if it wants a metro in Dublin.
Prof Melies opened his presentation with a picture of a train carriage devastated in the Madrid bomb attacks a fortnight ago. It was a vivid backdrop to Ms Harney's call for the disbandment of private armies nearer home.
Speaking under the same prominent image of the Tricolour, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, spoke of reclaiming for the PDs the true spirit of republicanism from Sinn Féin and the Provisional movement.
Today's republicans, he said, should not "hanker after some wretched, half-baked Marxist model society". Vintage stuff from Mr McDowell, whose recent attacks on Sinn Féin have had all the venom of his previous assault on Fianna Fáil.
The PDs want to double their presence on the local authorities to more than 60 seats.
The party will target Fine Gael seats in Dublin, but it aims to increase its rural presence too.
The vibe among the PDs was upbeat. There was no mention of the Dublin Castle saga and its sorry tales of contributions for "the boys" in Fianna Fáil. The PDs may posit themselves as the conscience of Fianna Fáil, but they relish being in office with the very party they were set up to resist.