Dublin is falling behind in the race to become an international hub for e-commerce, a new report from the Dublin Chamber of Commerce stated today.
The report reveals Dublin now ranks 13th out of 14th among international cities that have positioned themselves as leading e-cities.
Mr Declan Martin, director of policy for the Chamber of Commerce, said the report "starkly illustrates that the Government needs to address Ireland's e-capability as a matter of priority".
The Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Government to appoint a chief information officer to ensure a consistent IT strategy and use of the Internet across all sectors of Government and public administration.
Mr Martin added: "Despite the appointment of a Minister with responsibility for this area, there is still no clearly identified Government strategy to position Dublin as an e-hub".
The report also recommends the strategy should involve a "Stakeholders' Group" consisting of Government departments, the telecom operators, and business.
The report outlines recommendations to generate greater use of e-commerce activities through tax incentives and to remove VAT from high quality-broadband communication services.