Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated Ireland's digital divide

45% of those who responded to the survey said they are actively trying to reduce the amount of technology they use on a daily basis. File: Picture iStock

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the digital divide in Ireland, with older and poorer people are at risk of being left behind if this gap is not addressed.

During a time in which many of us found ourselves using the internet for more services than ever before, Accenture's Digital Index report for 2022 suggests skills gaps mean a significant portion of society is at risk of being isolated from the digital economy.

According to the report, digital usage grew significantly in Ireland over the course of the pandemic - 68 per cent of people said their internet use increased overall, with video calls, online shopping, and social media driving this greater engagement.

However, this increased usage was largely been confined to these everyday skills - about one third of respondents (35%) said that they now would not feel the need to improve their digital skills further.

Around quarter say there is nothing that would motivate them to get better.

“The pandemic and its associated lockdowns have accelerated the adoption of almost every kind of online service, and there are clear indicators that people generally have become more digitally engaged over the past two years,” said country managing director at Accenture in Ireland, Alastair Blair.

However, there are cohorts of the population not benefiting from, or engaging with, digital society - at work or in their everyday lives.

The research also found a large gap between socioeconomic classes in using the internet for various purposes. 

72% of those in higher socioeconomic groups said they were comfortable using the internet to find answers to common questions or problems, this figure dropped to 56% among those in less advantaged socio-economic groups.

62% of this higher group said they could conduct financial transactions online - including using online banking and making purchases - with relative ease, compared with 44% in the lower socio-economic group.

Over half (54%) of the higher socioeconomic group said they were comfortable with using the internet to search for jobs and to update their cv, while just 38% of the lower socioeconomic group said the same. 

Similar discrepancies were also noted between younger and older age cohorts.

Digital Divide Sponsor for Accenture in Ireland and Executive Creative Director within Accenture Interactive, Jen Spiers, said that unless action is taken to address these divides, a group of people risk being left behind.

"We have to get better at conveying the importance of having more advanced digital skills and competencies that will help them succeed in a digital workplace and participate more broadly in society," she said.

Ms Spiers said some who took part in the research expressed difficulty with things like creating documents, including CVs, which are of course key when applying for jobs.

"Government, education, and business will have to continue to be creative in how we reach this audience.

We need to come up with inventive ways to engage with them, improving their prospects while at the same time benefitting Ireland’s increasingly digital economy.

Digital fatigue also appears to be a factor, with nearly half (45%) of the survey’s respondents saying they are actively trying to reduce the amount of technology they use on a daily basis.

Around 20% said they try to get away from technology completely once they have finished work.