A commitment to shake the mould off the Progressive Democrats was made by the party's new general secretary, Mr John Higgins, yesterday. Referring to comments that there was some mould on the PDs, he said: "We are not just mould-breakers. We are mould-shakers as well".
At the press conference announcing his appointment, Mr Higgins said he would not be taking up the challenge of his new job at this stage if he believed the speculation that the party was on its last legs.
The Tanaiste, Ms Harney, said Mr Higgins was taking over at a time when the PDs were "under tremendous pressure". Promising to confound their critics again, she added that the only thing that could defeat them was if they threw in the towel themselves.
Asked to comment on speculation that a Limerick councillor was defecting to Fine Gael, Ms Harney said she did not believe that to be the case. It was true that other parties were visibly head-hunting members of the party, particularly their public representatives.
A native of Ballyhaunis, Mr Higgins was formerly chief executive of the Western Development Board. He was general manager of the Kiltimagh Renewal initiative. He is the brother of Fine Gael's justice spokesman, Mr Jim Higgins.
Meanwhile, the former Progressive Democrats mayor of Limerick, Mr Kieran O'Hanlon, has confirmed that he has had negotiations with Fine Gael "at a national level".
He said he would meet the PD leader, Ms Harney, this week to discuss the party's strategy in next year's local elections.
He was concerned at the Progressive Democrats' showing in the opinion polls but did not blame Ms Harney, who he felt "has the ability and the energy to put the party on the right track. The party has had a number of difficulties, but so have all small parties. It's difficult to break the mould and keep it broken."
He said his discussions with Fine Gael were "at a very preliminary stage". Mr O'Hanlon has been a member of Limerick County Borough Council since the last local elections in 1991. Last night he said: "I haven't made up my mind yet whether I'll run with Fine Gael or the PDs or even if I'll run at all".