Right2Change is a political campaign that arose from the Right2Water campaign in Ireland, built around a document called "Policy Principles for a Progressive Irish Government". The principles centre on areas like health, housing, jobs education and dealing with debt. The principles are the outcome of an extensive consultation process between individuals, community groups, trade unionists, political parties and independent representatives – all of whom have been involved in the campaigning against Irish Water's introduction of water charges in Ireland. The aim of the supporters of the principles is to campaign against the "right-wing consensus" that has dominated Irish politics and eventually form a left-wing government. The trade unions involved are set to give their support to election candidates if they sign up to the movement's policies. Country-wide meetings to discuss the campaign started in September 2015. The campaign is supported by trade unions Unite the Union, the Communication Workers Union, and

Mandate Mandate most often refers to: * League of Nations mandates, quasi-colonial territories established under Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations, 28 June 1919 * Mandate (politics), the power granted by an electorate Mandate may also ...

. The

Civil and Public Services Union The Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU) was an Irish trade union for clerical and administrative grades in the civil service, the wider public sector and the private sector.John B. Smethurst and Peter Carter, ''Historical Directory of Trade Un ...

withdrew their support. Political groups supporting the campaign are the

Communist Party of Ireland The Communist Party of Ireland (CPI; ga, Páirtí Cumannach na hÉireann) is an all-Ireland Marxist–Leninist communist party, founded in 1933 and re-founded in 1970. It rarely contests elections and has never had electoral success. The part ...

Direct Democracy Ireland Direct Democracy Ireland (, ) is a minor List of political parties in the Republic of Ireland, political party in Ireland. It has no representation at local or national level. Established in 2010, Direct Democracy Ireland (DDI) was registered a ...

, the

People Before Profit Alliance People Before Profit ( ga, Pobal Roimh Bhrabús, PBP) is a left-wing to far-left Trotskyist political party formed in October 2005. It is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. History PBP was established in 2005 as th ...

, Sinn Féin,

Workers and Unemployed Action Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA; ) is an Irish political party based in Clonmel in South County Tipperary, set up in 1985 by Séamus Healy. WUA had one Teachta Dála (TD) until 2020 and has endorsed and seen a number of its members elected t ...

and well as Joan Collins, Clare Daly, Thomas Pringle, Tommy Broughan and Mick Wallace. The

Anti-Austerity Alliance Solidarity ( ga, Neart le Chéile), formerly known as the Anti-Austerity Alliance (AAA), is a socialist political party in Ireland, launched in 2014. It had been registered as a political party to contest local elections, and ran at least forty c ...

/ Socialist Party did not sign up, its representative Ruth Coppinger accusing Sinn Féin of using the Right2Change campaign to further the party’s agenda. 32 Right2Change candidates were elected in the 2016 general election including the 23 Sinn Féin members, four

Independents 4 Change Independents 4 Change ( ga, Neamhspleáigh ar son an Athraithe) is a left-wing Irish political party. History The political grouping registered as a political party since 2014. It was previously known as Independents for Equality Movement. T ...

members (Wallace, Daly, Collins and Broughan), three

members (

Richard Boyd Barrett Richard Boyd Barrett (born 6 February 1967) is an Irish People Before Profit/Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dún Laoghaire constituency since the 2011 general election. Boyd Barrett is a former member of Dún L ...

Bríd Smith Bríd Smith (born 18 September 1961) is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin South-Central constituency since the 2016 general election. In 2001, she was an ATGWU shop steward ...

and

Gino Kenny Eugene Kenny (born 25 June 1972) is an Irish People Before Profit–Solidarity politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid-West constituency since the 2016 general election. He moved to Neilstown in 1979, where he lives w ...

) along with

Séamus Healy Séamus Healy (; born 9 August 1950) is a former Irish Independent politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 2000 to 2007 and 2011 to 2020. He is part of the Clonmel-based Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA) which had a number of lo ...

( WUA) and the independent Thomas Pringle.

References

2016 Irish general election Political organisations based in the Republic of Ireland Water supply and sanitation in the Republic of Ireland {{Ireland-stub