4. Digital Divide

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Digital Divide. Source: Cencus 2006 Principal Socio-economic Results Table 38, sample size 1,462,296 households

Regional disparities in broadband usage are evident from Census 2006 and undermine the increasingly rosy view of Ireland’s broadband status.

Rural versus urban, west versus east – this map based of the Census nails the facts on the digital divide. Just three counties – Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare – show more than 20% of householders saying that they have broadband connectivity. At the other end of the scale, six counties – Leitrim, Cavan, Roscommon, Donegal, Longford and Wexford – show 10% or less broadband penetration.

Broadband availability is increasing, but gaps remain and sometimes not just in rural Ireland. Despite a Dublin city centre location, and sharing the same street as the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, AMAS has been turned down again for a DSL connection.

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