On 26th May, Dr Eileen Culloty and Shane Murphy of EDMO Ireland delivered training on ‘How to Recognise and Navigate Disinformation’ for the 2026 Summer School of the Dublin Public Participation Networks (PPNs).
PPNs enable community groups to take part in local decision-making. Established in 2014, they ensure that decisions made by local authorities reflect the experiences and expertise of community organisations. Every local authority area has its own PPN, with groups including local clubs, environmental organisations, and social inclusion bodies. Dublin PPNs comprise Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.
In her session, Dr Culloty provided an introduction to disinformation and influence, with a key message on the complexity of the issue and the factors that can lead anyone to fall victim to false beliefs in the right circumstances. She outlined best practices for countering disinformation, including anticipating what may be misunderstood, assessing whether a false claim has sufficient impact to warrant a response, and ensuring the provision of accurate information.
Shane Murphy presented findings from a recent EDMO Ireland report on the impact of disinformation on community and charity organisations. His presentation was followed by a discussion with attendees.
All presentations are available as resources on the PPN Summer School page and a video of the day is available here.
