While RTE will not make a formal decision until November as to which parties will be eligible for coverage next year, the PD have just two TDs and two senators and do not fall within the current eligibility rules for television coverage.

A high level PD source yesterday confirmed that the party was not expecting coverage of any conference it will hold next year and would not be challenging the criteria currently used by RTE.

The PDs are likely to instead opt to hold some form of special one-day conference or look at the option of regional conferences.

However, the party is hopeful that, if it is in a position to run candidates in the 2009 European elections, it may be eligible for coverage of its conference in that year. The Greens were granted coverage of its conference earlier this year because it was an election year, even though . . . at the time . . . it had less than seven TDs/parliamentary party members and had received less than 5% of the vote at the previous general election.

There is a widespread acceptance in the PDs that the 2009 local and Euro elections are crucial to the party's survival. If the party fails to deliver seats in the local elections or to contest the European elections then there is a view that the party may not be around come the next general election.

Although the party remained in government after the general election, the loss of six seats and so many key figures has seriously damaged morale. Leader Mary Harney is expected to step down in the coming months.

Senator Fiona O'Malley is seen as the clear frontrunner to succeed her.