February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
More than 340,000 people — almost 10 percent of the population — use the internet every day and nearly a million use a computer at least once a week, the Central Statistics Office survey found.
But there is also evidence of a widening geographical divide — the highest levels of computer ownership internet access are in the greater Dublin area while the Midlands, border regions and West are lagging, the Irish Times reported.
Some 458,700 households had computers with internet access in June 2003, up 75 per cent since November 2000.
Over the same period, households with computers climbed 416,900 to 576,500 — a rise of 38 percent.
The figures are contained in a survey of 1.3 million households conducted in June as part of the quarterly national household survey.
E-commerce is also booming in Ireland — one in six computer users have bought goods over the web. The most popular purchases were travel and holiday accommodation, books, magazines, videos and DVDs.
Email is the most popular activity on the internet. Eighty-two percent of those logging on sent or received email in the previous three months.
Nearly 70 percent use it for finding information on goods and services and 53.8 percent for services related to travel and holiday accommodation.
Most (67 percent) of respondents go online at home, with the workplace (42.5 percent) and place of education (42.5 percent) other popular points of access.
The highest levels of computer ownership are in the mid-east at 53.8 percent and Dublin at 50.5. The border west and midlands fared worst, with computer ownership at 36.2 percent, 34.3 percent and 32.3 percent respectively.
More than 60 percent of households with two or more persons in employment own a computer.
Among those without internet access, lack of interest, poor computer skills and the high cost of computer equipment were cited as obstacles.
The survey found one-third of all households have a DVD player. Nearly 75 percent had at least one mobile phone, 15 percent of which were internet-enabled.
Ninety-eight per cent of households have televisions, with 42 percent receiving cable TV and 17 percent digital services.
Approximately 60 percent of those in the 16-34 age bracket have used a computer, compared with less than 12 percent of those aged between 65 and 74.
Usage of the internet also decreased with age, with half of those aged 16-34 having used the internet compared with 8 percent of people aged 65-74.
In a parallel survey on computers in business, conducted in May 2003, the CSO found “virtually all” companies used IT and have access to email and the internet.
Searching for information, availing of banking services and monitoring markets were the main reason given by businesses for using the internet.
Almost half of businesses have made purchases over the web. However, the percentage of total purchases was insignificant, apart from retail and wholesale where 9 percent of transactions were conducted electronically.