Irish students use the internet less than their European counterparts and access to technology remains limited, a new survey shows.

The Digital Divide in Europe, a report published by Eurostat, the EU statistics agency, shows Ireland is ranked 24th out of 25 EU member states for use of the web by school and college students.

It also highlights a "digital divide" among unemployed, under-educated and retired people in the State who do not use the internet or have access to technology, raising questions about the Government's policy to promote an information society.

Just 57 per cent of Irish students use the internet, compared to an EU average of 85 per cent across all 25 member states. Only Greece ranks below the Republic in the league table, with a score of 55 per cent, while Finland scored 97 per cent.

Overall, 34 per cent of the Irish public use the internet compared to an EU average of 47 per cent. This performance ranks the State 16th out of the 25 EU member states surveyed, behind new member states such as Slovakia, Slovenia and Estonia.

Meanwhile, just 11 per cent of retired people, 17 per cent of unemployed people and 16 per cent of people with low educational attainment use the internet in Ireland.

The report highlights several reasons for the "digital divide", from missing infrastructure, to missing incentives to use the technology, to a lack of computer literacy.

Four in 10 homes in the Republic have an internet connection, while just three per cent had a broadband internet connection. The EU average for broadband users is 15 per cent.

Overall, the report concludes that the "digital divide" is mainly a matter of age and education, and children in the home boost the likelihood of the purchase of a computer and use of the internet.

Sixteen to 24-year-olds are three times more likely to use a computer or the internet than those aged from 55 to 74 years.

The report was based on data collected by the agency in the second quarter of 2004.