In 2003 they received media attention after the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, was allegedly almost assaulted by protesters while trying to address the UCD branch of the Young Progressive Democrats.
The following September, a satirical leaflet produced by the Young Progressive Democrats that compared all of the political parties to pizzas was covered in the Sunday Independent.
In November 2004 a debate organised by the Trinity College, Dublin Young Progressive Democrats between the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, and the General Secretary of Sinn Féin, Robbie Smyth, received front page coverage on the Sunday Independent and was also covered in the Irish Examiner.
In September 2005 the Young Progressive Democrats received huge media coverage for a leaflet which compared politics to Star Wars.
In April 2006, The Phoenix published an article detailing how the Young Progressive Democrats had successfully launched a campaign to prevent Ógra Fianna Fáil becoming members of the European Liberal Youth.