Strong Business Connectivity Lifts Ireland’s 2009 Ranking

Ireland’s strong business performance on the 2009 Connectivity Scorecard helped carry the country to a better than expected ranking.  While not standing out in any particular area, Ireland’s ratings in PC penetration, business IT spending and basic business telephony development are above average.  This is combined with a high number of businesses buying and selling online, although only a small percentage of jobs require ICT skills.  The country’s E-Government rating is also high, and Irish businesses tend to use online government services often.  Schools, however, face weak broadband access.

Consumer infrastructure provides contrasting data.  Low broadband and average 3G penetration put Ireland below the median for similar economies, and data transfer speeds are limited.  Consumer habits are somewhat better, but even though voice and SMS usage are high, internet usage lags behind out countries surveyed.  Fortunately for Ireland, consumer data plays a small role in their overall score compared to the sophistication of their business connectivity.

Ireland Connectivity Performance by Scorecard Component