The party may be over, but the PDs left their mark on Irish politics

THE Progressive Democrats were suggesting this week that they are going to fold up their tent and fade away.

They began in 1985, promising to break the mould in Irish politics. It is a bit too soon to evaluate their overall contribution, but they certainly made their presence felt.

The party was founded after the expulsion of Des O’Malley from Fianna Fáil. Keeping Charlie Haughey out of power seemed to be its primary aim initially. They failed at the first hurdle, but that was through no fault of their own.