Small Irish firms are gradually embracing new technology, and getting a good return on their IT investment. The first annual 3Com Survey of the Irish networking industry examined enterprises employing less than 50 people, and found more than 83 per cent of those with a network claim to obtain a good return on investment in computer networking. However, half those contacted did not have a network.

Of those with a network, 75 per cent have email and nearly half (46 per cent) have a Web page.

The majority of those who do not have email (68 per cent) said they expect to get it within the next 12 months. Cost of Internet access remains a barrier to e-commerce, as it was cited by 58 per cent of respondents as the reason for not allowing Web access to all employees.