Tánaiste Michael McDowell will today use his first party conference as leader to call on voters to return the Progressive Democrats to government after the general election.
The junior Coalition partner is meeting for its three-day gathering in Co Wexford while languishing at its lowest-ever level in the polls.
The conference, themed: "New Ireland. New Opportunities" aims to boost the General Election hopes of local candidate Colm O'Gorman.
Mr McDowell's maiden leader's address will be screened on RTÉ this evening following a warm-up by deputy leader Liz O'Donnell.
Last night Mr McDowell used his opening speech to attack the alternative coalition of Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens, which he said would be weak and divided on issues like the economy, European defence, neutrality, motorway infrastructure and the development of the Corrib gas field.
Anti-pipeline campaigner Dr Mark Garavan, who is standing in the upcoming Seanad elections, said Mr McDowell's comments "bluster".
"Mr McDowell is simply wrong on a number of grounds. First, opposition to the Corrib gas development is not centred on stopping the development of gas but on the specific processing proposal being made by Shell," Dr Garavan said.
No case had been made for the strategic importance of developing the gas field and said it offered little in the way of jobs or financial benefit for the State, he added.
Mr McDowell He also said the pledge by Labour, a possible rival to a future coalition place with Fianna Fáil, to cut the standard tax rate by 2 per cent was "auction politics" not "conviction politics".
The Tánaiste added that there had been tax cuts when the PDs were in Government but not when Labour was in Government.
At today's conference, local hotelier and former Wexford hurling manager Liam Griffin is scheduled to speak on the role of sport in education.
European Liberal Democrats leader and MEP, Annemie Neyts will contribute to a discussion on third level education as will TCD economics lecturer Dr Sean Barrett and Ibec official Ray Farrelly.
The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Sustainable Development, John Gilliland, Airtricity chief Eddie O'Connor and Gerry McCaughey of Kingspan Century will make presentations on sustainability chaired by Minister of State Tom Parlon.
Labour held its national conference last weekend and Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, the Greens and Fianna Fáil will hold their pre-election gatherings in coming weeks.