Trade unions that backed the Right2Water campaign are set to give their support to election candidates if they sign up to the movement's policies.

Talks have been taking place for several weeks between the unions and a number of political parties including Sinn Féin

With an upcoming general election, the anti-water charges campaign has begun to broaden its focus.

Right2Change has set out policy principles for what it says would be a progressive government.

They centre on areas like health, housing, jobs education and dealing with debt.

If politicians sign up to these principles the Right2Change campaign will lend them support, including allowing them use the campaign's logo on election literature.

The unions have a fiscal plan which they say would allow a government increase spending by more than €9 billion over the next four years.

Crucially the movement is backed by six trade unions including Unite, Mandate, the Communications Workers Union and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union.

John Douglas of the Mandate said the aim is to get as many "progressive" candidates as possible to back the campaign's policies.

Sinn Féin confirmed today it believes it will sign up to the policy principles, but will first need to get it sanctioned by the party's Ard Comhairle.

Reacting to the proposal, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald described them as "significant".

"I think it’s very significant and I think it represents, now, a real concern that we need to present a pragmatic, thought-out and coherent alternative.

"That’s what this country needs and that’s what people need to hear.

"Rather being disparate, we need to find those things – principles and policies – that unite us."

Next week the Anti-Austerity Alliance and the People Before Profit Alliance are set to finalise the formation of a unified parliamentary group.

It is understood that group are also likely to align themselves to the Right2Change campaign.

Meanwhile, the country's biggest union, SIPTU, are to debate a motion to break the union's affiliation to the Labour Party at a biennial conference in Cork.

Another motion seeking a year long consultation with the union members on the future of SIPTU political fund is also set to be discussed.