3. Internet use

The numbers may be relatively small, but silver surfers are taking to the internet in greater numbers. Among Irish 60 to 70-year-olds, 21% say that they use the internet every day, compared with only 14% the previous year. That represents the greatest annual growth rate of any of the four age bands in the Central Statistics Office study of 6,800 households.

Not surprisingly, daily internet use is greatest among younger people. Among those aged 16 to 29, 77% are on the internet daily, compared with 64% of 30 to 44-year-olds. Taking a five-year view, there has been steady growth in internet use cross all the age groupings.

That said, the data shows that there is a group who never use the internet. Across the entire sample, 25% said that they did not use the internet in the previous three months, with the highest proportion (62%) among the oldest age grouping.

Source: Central Statistics Office, Information Society (2007-2011 figures)

Back to the contents of State of the Net issue 24