The CSO, through Ireland's Institute for SDGs (IIS), supports reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 17.6.1 Fixed Internet Broadband Subscriptions per 100 Inhabitants, by SpeedSDG 17.7.1 Total Amount of Approved Funding for Developing Countries to Promote the Development, Transfer, Dissemination and Diffusion of Environmentally Sound Technologies
SDG 17.8.1 Proportion of Individuals Using the Internet
SDG 7.6.1 Fixed Internet broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed is published by the Commission for Communication Regulation (ComReg).
ComReg is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of the electronic communications and postal sector. They have a wide range of responsibilities in electronic communications services & networks, posts and spectrum management. ComReg operate under Irish and EU legislation.
They are responsible for facilitating competition, for protecting consumers and for encouraging innovation. Their role involves dealing with complex issues of law, economics and technology, and ensuring that their decisions are taken fairly and are clearly explained. ComReg operates as a collegiate body, with decisions taken collectively by the Commissioners. They see this as important in fulfilling the spirit of the Communications Regulation Act, 2002, which established the Commission.
Information reported here is published in the ComReg Quarterly Key Data Report Q2 2022.
At the end of June (Q2) 2022, there were 1.95 million active broadband subscriber lines in Ireland. This was an increase of 0.6% on the previous quarter and a 3.0% increase on Q2 2021. Lines for FTTP (+7.7%), FWA (+1.4%), satellite (98%) and mobile broadband (+12%) showed positive growth this quarter. VDSL (-2.6%), DSL (-5.1%) and cable (-1.0%) subscriber lines all fell in quarter two. See Table 5.1.
ComReg’s Data Portal acts as a central portal for presentation of statistical data on the electronic communications market and to facilitate personalised downloads of published statistical information.
Some of the key metrics are also published in ComReg Quarterly Key Data Reports.
The information and statistics stored on this site are derived from a variety of sources, but are mostly reliant on data obtained from authorised electronic communications operators.
Residential broadband subscriber lines accounted for 1.6 million of the 1.95 million active broadband subscriber lines in Ireland at the end of June 2022. Business broadband subscriber lines accounted for the remainder 0.35 million lines. See Table 5.2.
Approximately 88% of all fixed broadband subscriber lines had sold speeds which were equal to or greater than 30Mbps in Q2 2022. Download speeds of 1GB or more accounted for almost 8% of all fixed broadband subscriber lines. See Table 5.3.
Broadband penetration rate per capita was 38.3% in Q2 2022. The penetration rate was 31.3% for fixed broadband and 7% for mobile broadband. See Table 5.4.
Fixed broadband penetration per household was 72.7% in in Q2 2022. The VDSL platform was in 24.9% of households, while FTTP was in 20.9% of households. Satellite broadband was only in 0.2% of households. See Table 5.5.
SDG 17.7.1 Total amount of approved funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies - no data is available at national level.
The UN SDG Indicators Database provides the following information on SDG 17.7.1 metadata.
The target for this indicator is Target 17.7 which is to:
"Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed."
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has identified a number of SDGs where uptake of Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs) contributes to their achievement: Goal 7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all; Goal 8 on the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; Goal 12 on sustainable consumption and production patterns, and Goal 13 on taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
The purpose of this indicator is to develop a methodology for tracking the total amount of approved funding to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies. A two-pronged approach is suggested:
Level 1: ComTrade database
Level 2: NSOs and other members of the NSS
Data will be collected at national levels through a questionnaire sent out to national governments every two years, began in 2021.
SDG 17.8.1 Proportion of individuals using the internet is published in the CSO Internet Coverage and Usage in Ireland 2022 publication.
The CSO publication Internet Coverage and Usage in Ireland 2022 is the fourth of a series of publications presenting the results of the annual Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Household Survey. The first publication, Digital Consumer Behaviour 2022, was published on 12 December 2022 and covered individuals’ use of e-commerce including sharing economy, internet activities, online learning, and their use of e-Government. The second publication, Smart Technology 2022, was published on 16 December 2022 and focussed on our use of internet-connected devices and systems, both inside and outside the home. The third publication, Sustainability of Personal ICT Devices 2022, was published on 19 December 2022 and covered how we dispose of our ICT devices such as smartphones or laptops, and what factors influence our decisions when buying new devices, including environmental considerations.
The 2022 ICT Household Survey was carried out in the first half of 2022. The data in this publication is a subset of the broader data collected in the survey and covers household internet access and individuals’ frequency of internet usage.
Our everyday lives are becoming far more digital, and in 2022, people were online more than ever and relying on technology and digital services.
At an overall level, more than nine in ten (92%) persons aged 16 years and older were recent users of the internet (used within the three months prior to survey), an increase of two percentage points from 2021. Daily internet usage similarly increased. Of recent internet users, 94% went online every day or almost every day, up five percentage points on 2021. Just 7% of people aged 16 years and older had never used the internet, although this was predominantly among older people where 45% of persons aged 75 and over had never used the internet.
As our lives have become more digital, people are accessing the internet more frequently on a daily basis. Of daily internet users, more than four in ten (43%) use it all the time or nearly all the time, up eight percentage points on 2021. In 2022, nearly six in ten (57%) younger persons aged 16 to 29 years used the internet almost constantly – 24% used it all the time, while a further one-third (33%) used it nearly all the time. Students were the most frequent users of the internet in 2022. All students used the internet every day or almost every day. Of these daily internet users, the vast majority (97%) went online at least several times a day: 33% used the internet several times a day, a further 38% of students used the internet nearly all the time, and more than one-quarter (26%) used the internet all the time.
The vast majority (94%) of households have internet connectivity. Looking at internet access on a regional basis, household internet connectivity was highest for the Dublin region (97%), compared with the Border region (90% of households). Household internet access was mainly via fixed broadband access (85%). Fixed broadband connection was highest in the Dublin region at 92% of households, compared with Border region (77%).
Of households with no internet access, the most common reason (56%) was that they did not need the internet, followed by lack of skills or knowledge (32%). One in fourteen (7%) of these households with no internet access stated that broadband internet was not available in their area.
The Frequency of Internet Usage chapter focusses on how frequently respondents use the internet, and for people who are recent users (used the internet in the three months prior to interview), do they go online every day or almost every day, and if less frequent users, their broad frequency of usage.
At an overall level, more than nine in ten (92%) individuals used the internet recently (within the previous three months of when they took part in the survey), while just 1% had used the internet, but not recently (not within the previous three months) and a further one in fourteen (7%) had never used the internet. See Table 5.6.
Note that internet use not only includes internet browsing or buying of goods or services online or online education. It includes all activities that require the internet, such as email, instant messaging, use of WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, internet banking, etc.
Almost all persons aged 30 to 44 years were recent internet users. Similarly, 96% of individuals aged 45 to 59 years had used the internet within the previous three months, and more than four in five (82%) older persons aged 60 to 74 years had gone online in the previous three months. See Table 5.6 and Figure 5.1.
Just 7% of persons aged 16 years and older had never used the internet, predominantly older persons (45% of persons aged 75 and over have never used the internet. This compared with just 1% of persons aged 30 to 44 years, and 3% of persons aged 45 to 59 years, who have never used the internet. All persons aged 16 to 29 years have used the internet within the previous three months. See Table 5.6.
Of persons surveyed whose principal economic status was at work, almost all (98%) used the internet within the previous three months, up one percentage point on 2021. This compares with 70% of persons whose principal economic status was retired. See Table 5.6.
| Used Within Last 3 Months | Used but not in the Last 3 Months | Never Used the Internet | |
| 16-29 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| 30-44 | 99 | 0 | 1 |
| 45-59 | 96 | 1 | 3 |
| 60-74 | 82 | 2 | 15 |
| Over 75 | 49 | 6 | 45 |
Over nine in every ten (94%) internet users used the internet every day. Nearly all internet users aged between 16 and 44 years used the internet every day or almost every day, while 95% of internet users aged 45 to 59 years used the internet daily. Of internet users aged between 60 and 74 years, 85% used the internet every day or almost every day, while almost two thirds (65%) of internet users aged 75 years and over used the internet daily or almost daily. See Table 5.7 and Figure 5.2.
There is little difference between the percentage of females and males who were daily internet users - 95% of males compared with 94% of females. See Table 5.7.
Almost all (98%) internet users whose principal economic status was at work went online every day or almost every day. This compares with less than eight in ten (78%) persons whose principal economic status was retired. All students were online at some point during their day. See Table 5.7.
| Every day or almost every day | At least once a week but not everyday | Less than once a week | |
| 16-29 | 99 | 1 | 0 |
| 30-44 | 99 | 1 | 0 |
| 45-59 | 95 | 3 | 1 |
| 60-74 | 85 | 9 | 3 |
| Over 75 | 65 | 16 | 8 |
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