A pilot scheme in the Shannon and south-west regions will encourage people to acquire the basic computer skills they need to access information, use online banking services - and much more. Some 100,000 latecomers to technology will have taken up the challenge of the Government- backed equalskills.com scheme by June of next year.

The scheme will be implemented by European Computer Driving Licence (EDCL) Ireland Ltd. Jim Friars of ECDL said they would be linking up with "sports clubs, youth groups and senior citizens' organisations as well as people in industry and education to ensure fast uptake of the programme".

Some 1,000 equal skills training centres are to be established in the pilot regions by the end of this year.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said at the launch that he believed "the benefits of technology should be spread evenly throughout society and not allowed to compound advantage where it already exists, or create new gaps."

Director of the South-West Regional Authority John McAleer said that technology had the potential to facilitate "access to lifelong learning and education, though opening up new markets and opportunities for companies, facilitating access to public services and enabling people simply to communicate across the planet."

Equalskills.com is funded by the Government's information society fund is and designed to "address the uneven uptake of information technology in Ireland". It is supported by Shannon Development and the South-West Regional Authority.