The three-day conference may feature a motion on the issue of a pre-election pact.

The full list of motions, due to go before the party's national executive late last week, has not yet been published.

However, it would be a major surprise if the issue of a pact did not arise as it is the hot topic in all the major political parties, with a general election just over a year away.

It is known that the party leadership, particularly Tánaiste Mary Harney, is opposed to any pre-election pact with Fianna Fáil.

Harney believes that a pact with Fianna Fáil in the 1997 general election favoured the bigger party and that the PD identity was squeezed out.

Late last year, Harney said she had no preference for working with either Bertie Ahern or Enda Kenny in the next government.

"The position of the PDs since our foundation is that we are an independent party and we fight elections on that basis, " she said.

However, there is a view in some sections of the party that the PDs' only real chance of being in government is with Fianna Fáil.

High-profile speakers at the party conference will include One in Four founder Colm O'Gorman - who will speak on children and children's rights - consumer advocate and television personality Eddie Hobbs and Siptu's Jack O'Connor.