The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed is calling on the Government to bring the job seekers payment back up to 2009 levels.

The INOU is holding its annual conference today in Dublin.

The gathering will also hear calls for an end to the cuts in payments for younger job seekers.

Brid O’Brien of the INOU has said unemployed people are having real difficulties making a living.

“Even though the figures around employment and unemployment are going in the right direction, there are an awful lot of people who are still unemployed,” said O’Brien.

“We’d be very conscious that trying to manage on a social welfare payment is extremely difficult.”