The INOU recently held a series of three informative Discussion Forums. The Discussion Forums are information and discussion events with our members, and they have remained a key part of the INOU’s work for over twenty years.
The three Discussion Forums took place on Wednesday 15th, Tuesday 28th and Thursday 30th May; the forum on the 28th took place in person in County Kilkenny. The forum featured two presentations and topics for discussion.
Job Seeker’s Pay-Related Benefit
Robbert presented on the Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit (JPRB), a new payment introduced in 2025.
Robbert highlighted the practical issues, concerns and anomalies following the introduction of JPRB; many which are presenting to the INOU Welfare Rights Information Section. Robbert’s presentation emphasised the novel aspects of this payment, such as the requirement that a person be fully unemployed in order to obtain this payment, and that an Increase for a Qualified Adult or Child Support Payment is not included in this benefit; this means that some may be better off when applying for Jobseeker’s Allowance. Robbert also discussed the issues that may arise when moving off this payment depending on a person’s circumstances.
Digitalisation Policy
Rebecca presented on the area of digitalisation, with a focus on digital literacy and accessibility.
Rebecca highlighted the need for digital inclusion in national policy, as digital literacy, particularly with AI, has become a great challenge in communities across Ireland. Members emphasised that it is the local community-based organisations that are helping people to navigate the increasingly complex online environment. Their work is not often visible or recognised in these contexts. As national policy is encouraging the use of digital environments to access information and services, there is a high risk that people will not be able to fully engage and participate without these supports.
Member engagement on these topics was welcomed, with many providing their expertise to the discussion, and a high attendance was seen in all three forums. The INOU would like to thank all of those who participated, and we welcome further engagement on these topics. We plan to hold a further discussion forum later in the year.
This activity is supported by funding from the Scheme to Support National Organisations, under the Department of Rural and Community Development and Pobal.