We held our Annual Delegate Conference (ADC) on Wednesday, 9th June 2021. For the second year running the Conference was held online because of COVID-19 restrictions. The INOU Chairperson, Ann Fergus opened the Conference, with over 70 people representing 35 organisations attending on the day. Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys T.D. kindly provided a video keynote address for the Conference.
In addition to formally agreeing the financial and annual reports, and reinstating the Auditors for a further year, the Conference elected five members to the National Executive Committee (NEC), the INOU Board of Management. Congratulations to Mick Creedon of the Ballymun Job Centre; Joanne Farrell of the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre; Liam Shortall of the INOU General Branch; Breda Murphy of the Employment Development Information Centre, Longford; and Evanne Kilmurray of Inner City Enterprise, Dublin.
Delegates discussed several motions that had been proposed. Two motions proposed by the INOU General Branch – the formal individual membership structure within the organisation – were discussed and agreed. These included a call for increased social welfare rates as setting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) at €350 was a tacit acknowledgement that current social welfare rates are too low. The Branch also called for comprehensive, affordable, and quality wi-fi provision countrywide, and Branch members noted this could be very useful to assist remote working.
Two NEC motions were also agreed – that unemployed people’s participation in education, training and employment programmes must be by choice; and that the Government must deliver on wrap around employment and support services that really meet the needs of people who are unemployed.
Conference delegates strongly agreed with the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre’s motion: that the Government should fully support the development and maintenance of independent community-based organisations and their work with people experiencing social and economic exclusion, as these organisations are critical to the delivery of inclusive employment and social services.
In closing the Conference, Anne Fergus thanked everyone for attending and hoped that it would be possible for Conference delegates to meet in-person at next year’s ADC.
If you wish to read the INOU’s Annual Report 2020 please follow this link here.