One of the founders of the Progressive Democrats says one reason the party failed was it spent too long in government with Fianna Fáil under Bertie Ahern.
Des O'Malley set up the PDs along with Mary Harney, Bobby Molloy and Michael McDowell, and says the PDs lost its identity as a result of the coalitions it took part in.
Mr O'Malley, who has recently published his autobiography Conduct Unbecoming: A Memoir, spoke to Newstalk Breakfast about the party that disbanded in 2008.
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Mr O'Malley, who is also a former Minister for Justice, said the PDs should have left Government far sooner than they did:
He explained that smaller parties 'lose their identity' when they stay in a government with a larger party for too long:
