Nearly a third of the population has no interest in new technology, and there is little indication these people - described in the first Irish study of its kind as "anti-techs" - are willing to learn about new information and communications technologies.

The findings in Amarach Consulting's Consumer TrendWatch quarterly report show that anti-techs are likely to be female, married and aged over 45. Almost 70 per cent of them do not have young people in the home, and as a result are less likely to be exposed to new types and applications of technology. They are also likely to be from lower income backgrounds - one in 10 owns a credit card - and completed their education at secondary level.

As many as 93 per cent of anti-techs said they did not intend to get home Internet access anytime soon. "The anti-techs are likely to feel abandoned by technology and perhaps isolated from developments. Many lack the resources or opportunity to access and understand the technologies available," Mr Gerard O'Neill, managing director of Amarach Consulting said.

The Amarach report divides the population according to its attitudes to technology. The largest group identified is the "multi-techs", accounting for 38 per cent of the population, which is most enthusiastic about new technology. They tend to be young - six in 10 are under 34 - educated to third level and indicate high levels of mobile phone and Internet use. Multi-techs are also more likely to be male, own a credit card and, of the older members, they are likely to have under-18s in their home. Typically the multi-tech falls into the ABC1 income bracket and includes socialising and eating out high on their list of things to do. Time spent watching TV and videos is on the decline compared with last year.

According to Amarach research consultant, Ms Bettina MacCarvill: "Multi-techs believe computers and technology give people more control over their life and less than half see a social downside - in that modern technology reduces the amount of time people spend socialising with each other."

The survey shows that "mobile-techs" - primarily mobile phone users, who are not as technology friendly as multi-techs - account for over a third of the population and come from a mixed income and education background. They are more likely to be female and 60 per cent are under 39. Up to 70 per cent completed their studies at secondary level, and are most comfortable using mobile phones, with many spending more time making calls on their mobile this year compared to last.

A quarter of Irish adults are now using the Internet on a regular basis, while the base of Irish Internet users dramatically increased by 15 per cent in just three months. This reflected a 3 per cent increase in overall Internet use among Irish adults to 25 per cent.

The report shows that 679,000 Irish adults now say they use the Internet. The largest increase has occurred in the workplace, where Internet access is growing rapidly, with 10 per cent of respondents now accessing the Internet at work.

The TrendWatch Technology, Second Quarter, 2000 report is based on face-to-face in-home interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,011 adults aged between 15 and 74 years, contacted during the last two weeks of April and first two weeks of May.