Expanding the Labour Party to Northern Ireland would revitalise the trade union movement, its annual conference in Co Wexford heard today.
Northern representative Mark Langhammer said his party was the only one that could appeal across both communities with more members than Sinn Fein and the DUP.
He was speaking as delegates called for a commission to examine the issue and report back in time for next year's annual conference. Fianna Fail has established its own group to consider contesting elections north of the border in association with the SDLP.
Mr Langhammer said: "It is important that Labour makes the political weather on this. No other party is better placed to do so, Labour is the only party that can conceivably have appeal across all communities; the only party that can appeal to people as citizens.
"A strong Labour Party in Northern Ireland can give political coherence to the trade union movement; and the structure of trade union organisation may provide a template for labour organisation in the north."
Mr Langhammer has urged the British Labour Party to organise in Northern Ireland and said the state of political fluidity provided the ideal opportunity.
"The Labour Party is a governmental party; it is a party of critical mass with over 6,000 members, 20 TDs, six Senators, over a hundred councillors," he said.
"We are bigger than Sinn Fein and bigger than the DUP; we are a party of gravitas; a party capable of formulating reasoned, practical policies in the interests of working people. There is no party like us in Northern Ireland."
Senior party member Ruairi Quinn moved the motion asking for a commission to be established.
However, he warned: "No political action, certainly emanating from the south, should be undertaken in a manner or in a way that would be a threat to that over riding political objective.
"For all these reasons we must think through very carefully the implications of what we might commit ourselves to in terms of our level of organisation in Northern Ireland and particularly in regard to involvement in electoral contests."
He cautioned against a knee-jerk reaction to Fianna Fail's move. "If we are going to do it, we should do it because it is right for the Labour Party and good for the people of Northern Ireland, and not simply because any other party is hoping to extend its political empire north of the border," he added.