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The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) household survey covers a range of topics related to internet penetration and the use of ICT by households and individuals. The survey is conducted annually in the first quarter of the year and asks respondents about their ICT activities over the previous 12 months. It provides estimates on a range of activities such as personal internet use, online purchasing and household internet access.
In the first quarter of 2018, 89% of all households had access to the internet at home. It is estimated that 94% of households in the Dublin region had internet access in the first quarter of 2018. In contrast 85% of households in the Border region indicated they had internet access in the same time period.
| Table 6.2 Individuals' use of the internet classified by frequency of use, sex and age group, 2012 to 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| % of individuals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Used within last 3 months | Used but not in the last 3 months | Never used the internet | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | ||||
| State | 76.9 | 78.3 | 79.7 | 80.1 | 82.2 | 81.2 | 82.1 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 4 | 3.4 | 3 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 17.9 | 17.6 | 16.3 | 16.5 | 14.9 | 15.9 | 15.5 | |||
| Sex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Male | 76.6 | 77.7 | 78.4 | 78.9 | 80.9 | 79.4 | 81.5 | 5 | 4 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3 | 3.1 | 1.8 | 18.4 | 18.3 | 17.9 | 17.9 | 16.1 | 17.4 | 16.7 | |||
| Female | 77.3 | 78.8 | 80.9 | 81.2 | 83.4 | 83.1 | 82.6 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 17.5 | 16.9 | 14.7 | 15.2 | 13.7 | 14.3 | 14.4 | |||
| Age Group | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16-29 | 92.4 | 92.5 | 96.1 | 95.4 | 96.4 | 95.1 | 97.4 | 4.3 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 4.6 | 2.3 | 3 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 1.5 | |||
| 30-44 | 89.1 | 90.4 | 91.6 | 92.4 | 94.2 | 92.8 | 96.5 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 2.1 | |||
| 45-59 | 70.1 | 75.9 | 73.9 | 74.9 | 76.2 | 78.9 | 84.8 | 5.6 | 5 | 5.9 | 4 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 24.3 | 19.1 | 20.2 | 21.1 | 20.1 | 17.4 | 12.2 | |||
| 60-74 | 39.8 | 45.9 | 42.8 | 44.7 | 51.8 | 47.6 | 47.7 | 7.1 | 5 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 53 | 49 | 51.1 | 49.2 | 41.3 | 46.2 | 48.0 | |||
| Data are subject to sampling and other survey errors, which are relatively greater in respect of smaller values. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individuals represent all individuals aged 16-74. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source: CSO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
In 2018, an estimated 82% of individuals used the internet in the three months prior to the interview, compared with 78% five years previous in 2013.
In the first quarter of 2018, 97% of individuals aged 16 to 29 years used the internet "in the last three months". In contrast, just 48% of individuals aged 60 to 74 years used the internet during the same time period.
In 2018, 12% of individuals aged 45 to 59 never used the internet, compared to 2% of individuals aged 16 to 29.
| % of individuals | |
| Finding information on goods and services | 88.4 |
| 83.8 | |
| Social networking | 73.2 |
| Reading or downloading online news | 73.2 |
| Internet banking | 70.3 |
| Services related to travel | 61.8 |
| Seeking health related information | 57 |
| Internet telephoning/video calls | 46 |
| Uploading self-created content | 45.8 |
| Selling of goods or services | 29.4 |
| Buying or renewing existing insurance policies | 23 |
| Making appointment with health practitioner | 9 |
| Arranging credit with financial institutions | 3.7 |
| Buying or selling of investment services | 2.4 |
Clothes or sports goods (50%), Holiday accommodation (44%), Other travel arrangements (41%) and Tickets for events (39%) were the most popular types of internet purchases made by individuals in the twelve months prior to interview during the first quarter of 2018.
| Table 6.4 Activities on the internet in the last 3 months, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
| % of individuals | |||||||||||||||||
| Finding information on goods and services | Social networking | Reading or downloading online news | Internet banking | Services related to travel | Seeking health related information | Internet telephoning/ video calls | Uploading self created content | Selling of goods or services | Buying or renewing existing insurance policies | Making appointment with health practitioner | Arranging credit with financial institutions | Buying or selling of investment services | |||||
| State | 88.4 | 83.8 | 73.2 | 73.2 | 70.3 | 61.8 | 57.0 | 46.0 | 45.8 | 29.4 | 23.0 | 9.0 | 3.7 | 2.4 | |||
| Sex | |||||||||||||||||
| Male | 87.6 | 84.3 | 79.1 | 71.8 | 71.1 | 61.3 | 49.2 | 48.9 | 50.4 | 31.8 | 25.1 | 8.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | |||
| Female | 89.1 | 83.4 | 67.0 | 74.6 | 69.5 | 62.2 | 64.5 | 42.9 | 41.1 | 27.1 | 20.9 | 9.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | |||
| Age group | |||||||||||||||||
| 16-29 | 92.5 | 85.4 | 92.4 | 71.0 | 67.4 | 60.4 | 54.7 | 53.5 | 61.4 | 28.6 | 18.4 | 11.5 | 5.3 | 2.1 | |||
| 30-44 | 90.7 | 89.3 | 80.6 | 81.2 | 83.2 | 69.9 | 63.4 | 53.3 | 49.9 | 36.8 | 30.2 | 10.1 | 4.6 | 2.8 | |||
| 45-59 | 86.4 | 81.3 | 60.6 | 69.9 | 66.8 | 60.8 | 56.4 | 34.5 | 36.7 | 27.2 | 24.5 | 7.2 | 2.7 | 3.3 | |||
| 60-74 | 78.5 | 72.1 | 41.8 | 63.2 | 49.8 | 46.0 | 46.5 | 34.4 | 23.6 | 16.8 | 10.7 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | |||
| Principal economic status | |||||||||||||||||
| At work | 91.2 | 88.2 | 76.0 | 78.9 | 81.0 | 69.8 | 60.3 | 46.7 | 46.9 | 33.8 | 30.9 | 9.5 | 4.9 | 3.2 | |||
| Unemployed | 85.5 | 75.7 | 72.5 | 69.5 | 53.3 | 46.7 | 51.3 | 41.2 | 48.5 | 35.9 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | |||
| Student | 76.6 | 64.2 | 57.6 | 50.5 | 60.7 | 57.0 | 47.4 | 27.2 | 33.5 | 21.9 | 8.3 | 13.1 | 6.0 | 2.7 | |||
| Home duties | 78.9 | 74.9 | 40.9 | 65.4 | 51.0 | 47.0 | 47.3 | 34.2 | 59.4 | 14.4 | 16.8 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | |||
| Retired | 93.5 | 84.7 | 88.7 | 63.2 | 57.0 | 50.9 | 62.0 | 55.1 | 19.3 | 25.3 | 12.0 | 5.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | |||
| Other | 76.2 | 79.5 | 70.9 | 67.6 | 52.3 | 47.7 | 52.1 | 56.6 | 46.9 | 24.9 | 15.0 | 9.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | |||
| Region | |||||||||||||||||
| Border | 88.2 | 78.5 | 74.9 | 59.5 | 71.5 | 65.6 | 65.5 | 41.5 | 27.9 | 32.6 | 19.4 | 7.1 | 2.4 | 1.1 | |||
| Midland | 90.8 | 80.3 | 71.7 | 69.6 | 81.7 | 70.7 | 68.3 | 42.6 | 45.1 | 26.5 | 23.1 | 17.2 | 2.4 | 1.7 | |||
| West | 87.0 | 89.9 | 74.3 | 77.1 | 71.6 | 59.5 | 52.6 | 46.1 | 49.4 | 27.7 | 27.2 | 11.3 | 4.2 | 3.4 | |||
| Dublin | 88.3 | 91.3 | 74.8 | 82.5 | 66.8 | 59.3 | 55.1 | 59.7 | 46.5 | 28.4 | 31.5 | 5.3 | 5.8 | 5.5 | |||
| Mid-East | 87.5 | 82.8 | 73.1 | 75.1 | 65.2 | 53.6 | 42.5 | 48.4 | 41.2 | 32.8 | 20.4 | 8.1 | 1.8 | 3.0 | |||
| Mid-West | 90.1 | 85.1 | 69.6 | 75.2 | 71.5 | 65.6 | 55.9 | 49.4 | 51.9 | 24.0 | 20.4 | 8.3 | 4.7 | 2.1 | |||
| South-East | 84.6 | 81.2 | 76.7 | 77.3 | 71.2 | 65.2 | 57.7 | 44.6 | 56.5 | 25.9 | 27.0 | 13.6 | 4.5 | 2.6 | |||
| South-West | 87.4 | 91.1 | 72.2 | 77.1 | 72.3 | 60.2 | 61.3 | 47.2 | 43.7 | 36.2 | 14.6 | 11.8 | 6.2 | 2.0 | |||
| Source: CSO | |||||||||||||||||
The most popular activities of individuals who accessed the internet (in the three months prior to interview) were Finding information on goods and services (88%), Email (84%), Social networking and Reading or downloading online news (both at 73%), and Internet banking (70%).
| % of individuals | |
| Clothes or sports goods | 50.4 |
| Holiday accommodation | 43.6 |
| Other travel arrangements | 40.7 |
| Tickets for events | 38.6 |
| Household goods | 27.3 |
| Telecommunication services | 18 |
| Electronic equipment | 22.4 |
| Books/magazines/newspapers | 20.9 |
| Films/music | 17.3 |
| Video games, software and software upgrades | 13.7 |
| Food and groceries | 7.5 |
| Computer hardware | 6.4 |
| E-learning material | 4.7 |
| Medicine | 2 |
| Other | 11.4 |
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