Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

One in five adults in Ireland has never used the Internet. Many if not most of these are older people. That is why older people are a key focus in the Government's national digital strategy, which I launched earlier this year. I awarded grants in July under my Department's benefit programme to 17 community and voluntary organisations to deliver basic digital skills training to people who have never used the Internet or are seeking to build on the skills they have. The benefit programme involves a network of approximately 200 stakeholders providing training in more than 580 locations nationwide. The training covers the use of different types of communications technology, particularly Internet-related technologies such as computers and smartphones. It includes training on the topics that are most likely to be of relevance and use to people, such as sending and receiving e-mails, conducting simple online transactions and using Government services online.

Some €1.4 million has been allocated to the benefit programme in 2013. More than 83,000 people have received training under the programme since it began, with approximately 7,000 completing training so far in 2013. Approximately 60% of the people undertaking training under the latest phase of the benefit programme are over 55 years of age and one third of them are over the age of 65. Therefore, the programme is making a very positive impact on older people. The feedback received from trainees has also been positive, with 99% of them saying they would recommend the course. The latest phase of the benefit programme, which I launched in July, builds on the successes and lessons of previous phases. In response to requests from trainees, and older people in particular, the number of training hours has been increased from six to eight. The range of topics covered by the course has also been extended.

In addition to the programmes funded by my Department, a number of other initiatives are in operation to help older people to use digital technologies. Some of them are mentioned in the national digital strategy, including Google's Get Your Folks Online and Silver Surfer Towns initiatives and UPC's Internet Buttons initiative. As part of the development of the national digital strategy, my Department commissioned a number of audiovisual case studies, some of which focus on the relevance and value of digital engagement for older people, such as saving money and being better connected to friends and family. The national digital strategy sets an ambitious target to get 280,000 more people online by the end of 2016. Many of these will be older people. The strategy envisages a co-operative approach between the Government, industry and community and voluntary groups that are active in assisting elderly people. Those involved in the strategy are working with Ireland's digital champion, David Puttnam. It entails the continued roll-out of training and an intensified focus on awareness raising and motivation. The aim is to ensure more older people are shown the many great and simple things they can do with digital technologies so that they will want to engage with them.

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