An extract from a 'Today Tonight' report on the first election campaign of the Progressive Democrats party. The Progressive Democrats were founded in 1985 by Dessie O'Malley. A former Fianna Fáil minister and ardent opponent of Charles Haughey, O'Malley was joined by Mary Harney, Bobby Molloy and Pearse Wyse from Fianna Fáil, and by Fine Gael TD Michael Keating and former Fine Gael activist Michael McDowell. The director of elections for the PDs was former RTÉ journalist and presenter Pat Cox.

This extract shows PD leader Dessie O'Malley canvassing nationwide. The PD General Secretary Pat Cox is interviewed and the management team is shown strategising.

This clip also shows a PD candidate being verbally abused by a disgruntled elderly voter in at Raheny train station in Dublin.

A 'Today Tonight' report on a new political party for Ireland the Progressive Democrats broadcast 2 March 1987.

'Today Tonight' was a RTÉ current affairs programme with up-to-the-minute coverage of events at home and abroad. 'Today Tonight' was first broadcast on Monday, 6 October, 1980 and ran for 12 years until 1992. Edited by Joe Mulholland, the original presenters included Barry Cowan, Brian Farrell and Olivia O'Leary. 'Today Tonight' aired from Monday to Thursday on RTÉ 1.

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