The Communications Minister has announced €2.2 million in training funds to help get people online.
Minister Denis Naughten's department says the funds will be awarded to 15 community and not-for-profit organisations "to provide basic digital skills training to people" as part of the Digital Skills for Citizens Grant Scheme.
Training in basic web skills will be delivered free of charge to around 26,000 people next year, the department says.
Roscommon Integrated Development Company will receive the largest share (€595,000) of the funds to train 7,000 people, with Age Action Ireland and National Council for the Blind Group among the other organisations in line for funding.
In a statement, Minister Naughten said: "For those already online, the benefits of the internet are clear. A few simple steps and a digital world opens before you – one where old friends can catch up, businesses and customers can find each other and access to information is easy.
"In a ‘connected’ society, digital skills for everyone are absolutely essential if we’re going to realise the full social and economic potential of this digital world. But many people have never had a chance to learn these skills. Helping these individuals, communities and businesses acquire them is a significant policy priority for me," he added.
