The Right2Water group is stepping up it’s campaign to bring political parties, academics, NGOs and unions of the left together.
The group announced a conference in May which the CPSU, the Communication Workers’ Union, Mandate, OPATSI and Unite will convene.
Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams welcomed representatives of the left coming together.
This afternoon, Brendan Ogle spoke to Jonathan Healy today about setting the agenda for the 2016 election campaign. Jonathan asked Mr Ogle who would lead the campaign politically: "I don't see myself in that role and I never have seen myself in that role.
"I think the media needs to give space to that debate.
"Leaders are emerging from communities. Will they emerge in time for the election next year? Let's just see.
"It's about policies first, and getting policies, getting people united behind the policies and leaders will emerge."
However, Mr Ogle wasn't eager to discuss Gerry Adams' comments about not being a junior partner in the a possible government: "The media down south have a fixation with Gerry Adams, I don't share that fixation.
"Let's just start in the right place here. Let's look at what sort of society we want after the next election."
Jonathan asked if everyone was welcome under the new umbrella party, like Labour to which Mr Ogle responded: "No.
"I think any party that got into government promising reform, promising to represent the citizens of this country against austerity, promising to fight back, promising to take on Frankfurt, promising not to introduce water charges and who did a complete reversal of those policies is not welcome."
When asked if this was politically motivated, Mr Ogle responded: "Right2Water will exist at least until the next election because we didn't believe then and it's clear now, the current government will not revoke the domestic water charges legislation. So only a future government will.
"That means a change in the law and you only change the law by changing the law which means we need new lawmakers. So it is political.
The trade union movement has a key interest in the sort of society our members live and work in."
You can listen to his full interview here:
