The Tanaiste and Progressive Democrats leader, Ms Harney, admitted yesterday that the party would not survive unless it won seats at the next general election.
The party, she said, must regroup following the defection of Senator Helen Keogh and a Cork councillor, Mr Peter Kelly, to Fine Gael in the last week.
Ms Harney said the focus would be on rebuilding the party around key election candidates capable of taking a seat. "If we can't win seats at the next election clearly we are not going to be able to survive," she said.
Commenting on speculation that the Attorney General, Mr Michael McDowell, is to rejoin the party, Ms Harney said that was something she would welcome. "I was devastated when he lost his seat by 27 votes in the last election," she said. Ms Harney stressed that no deal was done when Mr McDowell was appointed Attorney General.
Commenting on Mr Kelly's joining Fine Gael, Ms Harney said she was surprised because he had never mentioned it at a recent party meeting. "I wish him well. I don't hold grudges against people. That is not my nature. I want to move on," Ms Harney said.
She would use the summer period to reinvigorate the PDs. "We need to reposition ourselves and strategise for the future. We need to ensure that at the next election we have distinctive policies," Ms Harney said.
The quality of candidates at the next election was important. She said she was confident that the party chairman, Cllr John Minihane, would do well in Cork South Central and the party would have a good choice in selecting either Cllr Fiona O'Malley or Cllr Victor Boyhan for the Dun Laoghaire constituency.
Ms Harney said the party was working towards clearing its debt and organising a £100-per-ticket national draw, which will yield about £190,000.