Progressive Democrat leader Senator Ciarán Cannon has today rejected reports that his party is about to merge with Fianna Fáil.
It has been reported that the outline of a merger agreement has been drawn up between the two parties.
"There is no deal done to merge with Fianna Fail or any other party for that matter," Senator Cannon insisted today. "There is no draft outline of any agreement.
He said that while "approaches" had been made to PD TDs to join Fianna Fail, "these have never developed to a point where a critical mass of defections would precipitate a merger," said the party leader.
"I seriously doubt if that could ever occur," he said.
Minister for Health and former PD leader Mary Harney signaled earlier this week that serious consideration is being given to winding up the party as speculation continues about the future of its Galway West TD, Noel Grealish.
"Let's be realistic, since the last election we have had a very difficult time,” she said. "I don't want to have my head buried in the sand or live in an Alice in Wonderland kind of environment. I have to acknowledge that.”
Mr Grealish in a statement described media reports about his political future as speculative and inaccurate. Mr Grealish, noting that the party was undertaking a root-and-branch reform, said that in the meantime he remained a member of the Progressive Democrats parliamentary party.