The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed is a federation of unemployed people and over 180 groups throughout the country, concerned with combating unemployment. The overall objective of the organisation is to represent the interests and views of all unemployed people and their dependants at a national level. The INOU does this at local, national and European levels. The INOU is a social partner and participated, through its membership of the Community and Voluntary Pillar in the negotiations on a number of national agreements, the latest being Sustaining Progress.

Policies are set by the membership - people working against unemployment and unemployed people themselves - at the Annual Delegate Conference. In addition to its work as a Social Partner, the INOU provides training and a welfare to work query service to our affiliates as well as producing a number of regular publications such as the Bulletin, policy briefing papers etc.