Internet use in the Republic has surged in the past three years, with the number of households connecting to the web rising 75 per cent, according to new figures.
More than 340,000 people - almost 10 per cent 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 internet access are in greater Dublin and the mid east, while the midlands, border regions and west are lagging behind.
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 per cent.
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 here - one in six computer users have bought goods over the web. The most popular purchases were travel and holiday accommodation, books/magazines and videos / DVDs.
Email is the most popular activity on the internet. Eighty two per cent of those logging on sent or received email in the previous three months.
Nearly 70 per cent use it for finding information on goods and services and 53.8 per cent for services related to travel and holiday accommodation.
Most (67 per cent) of respondents go online at home, with the workplace (42.5 per cent) and place of education (42.5 per cent) other popular points of access.
The highest levels of computer ownership are in the mid-east at 53.8 per cent and Dublin at 50.5. The border west and midlands fared worst, with computer ownership at 36.2 per cent, 34.3 per cent and 32.3 per cent respectively.
More than 60 per cent 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 per cent had at least one mobile phone, 15 per cent of which were internet-enabled.
Ninety eight per cent of households have televisions, with 42 per cent receiving cable TV and 17 per cent digital services.
Approximately 60 per cent of those in the 16 to 34 age bracket have used a computer, compared with less than 12 per cent of those aged between 65 and 74.
Usage of the internet also decreased with age, with half of those aged 16 to 34 having used the internet compared with 8 per cent of people aged 65 to 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 per cent of transactions were conducted electronically.
