An energy crisis next winter could threaten inward investment and Ireland's plan to become Europe's e-commerce hub, it has been claimed. A confidential Government report seen by The Irish Times last week warns that firms in the information and communication technology sector may avoid locating in certain regions altogether because of the problem. The sector, which depends on a quality power supply, employs 90,000 people in Ireland. There is a great risk next winter of unplanned electricity outages.
Fine Gael has claimed the power crisis could threaten Ireland's ability to become the e-commerce hub of Europe. The party has called for urgent action on the matter including changes in the regulatory requirements in relation to power generation allowing the development of combined heat and power plants. The report was conducted by DKM economic consultants for the Department of Public Enterprise.
Swapping Amount: The music industry has told free music-swapping service Napster to come up with a realistic offer in relation to the copyright of music available on its website. Last week Napster offered to pay record labels Sony, Warner, BMG, EMI and Universal $150 million every year for five years to stop a lawsuit going ahead. Under the deal another $50 million would be paid to independent labels every year for five years. Napster would also start charging consumers for its service as part of the deal. However the music industry hasn't accepted the offer saying it is Napster's responsibility to come up with a legitimate business model and system that protects artists' copyrights on the Web.
Inside Information: Computer chip maker Intel, hit by the general downward trend in the technology sector, is tightening its belt but hopes to avoid layoffs. The company employs a total of almost 5,000 at its plant in Leixlip in Co Kildare. It is believed Intel will delay staff pay rises and will pull back from its PC give-away to all its employees until next year. The chip-maker hopes to save "hundreds of millions of dollars" worldwide with the cost-cutting measures, an Intel spokesman said.
Fine Call: Fine Gael has called for a clamp down on civil servants abusing email and Internet facilities in several Government departments. The party's deputy spokesman on public enterprise Denis Naughten says five departments Marine, Tourism, Health, Education, and Foreign Affairs have no formal policy on the use of email and Internet. "All information, data and messages that are issued and transmitted using voicemail, email and Internet systems in Government Departments could be open to abuse", said Naughten.
Pink Pixel: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender are more likely to surf the Web and buy online, a US survey has revealed. Harris Interactive and Witeck-Combs Communications found that 32 per cent of these Internet users now go online for over 21 hours a week, up from 25 per cent in April 2000. Only 17 per cent of non-gay Internet users spend over 21 hours a week online. Sixty-three per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender users said they would buy online in comparison with 59 per cent of other respondents.
Cyber Strike: Website staff at the Belgian portal of World Online ISP staged a strike last week to protest at the layoff of more than half of its 85 employees. The site's editor in chief Mr Frank Roosen said the strike would continue until management made concessions on layoff compensation. World Online, set up in 1994 in Holland and bought last year by Italian ISP Tiscali SpA, has 4.2 million subscribers.
Stop Talking: Authorities in Hong Kong are considering introducing mobile phone jamming devices to stop annoying conversations in public places. Hong Kong, which has more than 5.2 million mobile phones users, hit a low point last year when a doctor got into trouble for talking on his mobile while performing surgery. Telecommunications officials are carrying out a public consultation before deciding on the jamming plan.
In Brief... French media group Vivendi Universal has announced a joint music distribution deal with Sony which will place tens of thousands of songs on the Web by the summer. . . US online grocer Peapod reported its biggest quarterly loss yet last week with a warning it will run out of cash by the end of the year. . . Entries are now being sought for the annual Comms Excellence Awards 2001. . .