The business community in Ennis, Telecom Eireann's information age town, is the latest beneficiary of the £15 million (€19 million) investment in the town. A £2 million business programme has been launched with the aim of enticing half of Ennis's 800 businesses to trade goods and services over the Internet. It is expected the majority will be using e-mail by the end of 2000.

The technologies and applications on offer include Internet access, website design, ISDN lines, database development, applications development, consultancy and training. Each business will also be entitled to a communications audit.

Telecom Eireann will appoint 20 "business champions" to become leaders in electronic business practices. They will be selected following submissions of information age strategies. Successful applicants will receive subsidies of up to 50 per cent of consultancy costs, and 30 per cent of the total technology implementation cost up to a total of £15,000 per business.