McDowell predicts return to power with Fianna Fáil

Michael McDowell began his tenure as leader of the Progressive Democrats today by insisting the party was not a "spent force" and predicting it would be returned to Government with Fianna Fáil after the next election.

At the official announcement in Dublin of his unopposed appointment as the third leader of the party since its inception two decades ago, Mr McDowell pledged to continue what he called the programme of "radical reforms" overseen by his predecessor, Mary Harney and double the party's number of Dail seats in the next election.

The Minister for Justice, who is expected to be formally named as Tánaiste later this week, confirmed that Dublin South TD Liz O'Donnell had been appointed deputy leader of the party and Minister of State Tom Parlon would replace him as party president. These appointments were made as part of a deal to avoid a divisive leadership battle.

"It is my fixed and unalterable intention to unite the Progressive Democrats in pursuit of their goals and to avoid in every way disunity and distraction," the Minister said.

He insisted his new role as Tánaiste and PD leader would not detract from his work as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. He said his position would "strengthen his hand" in many aspects.

Mr McDowell told the press conference he spoke this morning to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who is on a trip to Finland, and pledged to continue in Government until the next election in the summer of 2007.

The Minister predicted the Irish electorate would use that election to reject what he described as the "slump coalition" of Fine Gael and Labour, who he said, were "handcuffed together" by the "Mullingar Accord".

He said the only way they could form a government after the next election would be by forming a coalition with the Green Party and "far-left" independents.

"The entire political enterprise amounts to a recipe for a slump coalition and a return to the politics of failure, paralysis and underacheivement which has always charachterised their periods in office."

He did not see "any circumstances" in which the PDs would enter a coalition with Fine Gael and Labour. The only option was a strong, progressive coalition of reform containing the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil.

Mr McDowell insisted he would bring his party to the next election with the intention of doubling the party's current number of Dáil seats. "We are not an exhausted or spent force," he added.

Mr McDowell also paid tribute to Ms Harney, who, along with her predecessor, Des O'Malley, "raised the flag of hope for a generation of Irish people who had been betrayed by the politics of failure".

Ms Harney was the most successful employment minister in the European Union before her move to the Department of Health, he said. "She has also had the courage and patriotism to take political responsibility for the radical transformation of our health system," he said.