Since POE::Component::IRC::Plugin uses POE, you get all of POE's features "for free". This includes POE::Kernel's delay() method, which can be used to create a one-shot timer. For repeating timers, your one-shot handler should call delay() again to set up a new timer.

The first example at http://poe.perl.org/?POE_Cookbook/Recurring_Alarms should get you started.

PoCo-IRC plugins effectively are executed within the component's POE session

This means that if you want to make use of POE::Kernel's alarms/delays you have a number of different approaches:

• You can setup your own POE session within your plugin. There is an example of this in the POE cookbook, then setup up your delays/alarms.
• Alternatively, you can get creative and register an object state handler from your plugin with the PoCo-IRC session:

  package PluginDelay;
  
  use strict;
  use warnings;
  use POE; # import POE stuff
  use POE::Component::IRC::Plugin qw( :ALL );
  
  # Plugin object constructor
  sub new {
      my ($package) = shift;
      return bless {}, $package;
  }
  
  sub PCI_register {
      my ( $self, $irc ) = splice @_, 0, 2;
      $irc->plugin_register( $self, 'SERVER', qw(public) );
  
      # Register an object state handler
      # Try not to use something poco-irc already uses
      # using the name of your plugin is a good practise 
      $poe_kernel->state( 'PluginDelay_alarm', $self );
  
      # Set our initial alarm
      $kernel->delay( 'PluginDelay_alarm', 5 * 60 );
      
      return 1;
  }
  
  # This is method is mandatory but we don't actually have anything to d
  +o.
  sub PCI_unregister {
      return 1;
  }
  
  sub PluginDelay_alarm {
    my ($kernel,$self,$irc) = @_[KERNEL,OBJECT,HEAP];
    
    # Do something funky.
  
    # Set the next alarm up
    $kernel->delay( 'PluginDelay_alarm', 5 * 60 );
    return;
  }
  
  1;
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