A YouTube survey by online PR and marketing firm Simply Zesty has found that 61pc of Irish web users would pay for HD streamed movies on YouTube.
The survey found just under half watched between one and three YouTube videos on the average day. Some 20pc watched between three to five YouTube videos daily and 9pc watched more than 10 videos on YouTube daily.
Some 82pc of Irish internet users have a YouTube account that they log into.
Most Irish bosses have a more open minded approach to YouTube usage in the workplace, according to the survey, with 68pc of workplaces allowing people to view YouTube videos at work while 31pc of the survey respondents said they are not allowed to watch videos at work.
The survey showed a large number of Irish people upload videos to YouTube 67pc, which Simply Zesty co-founder Niall Harbison attributes to the rise and rise of internet-enabled smartphones which make it easier for people to upload videos.
They survey coincides with interesting developments in the online video space. While there have been suggestions that Hulu is about to go global and iTunes has finally started movies videos in Ireland, it emerged last night that Netflix is planning to pay US$1bn to add films from Paramount, Lions Gate and MGM to its online subscription space.
It is quite a coup for Netflix because it means it is in a position to lock up the digital rights for users who are beginning to stop receiving DVDs by post and are open to receiving streams via the internet.
Meanwhile, YouTube is back in the wars with Viacom, which is appealing a decision by a New York judge to throw the case out of court in June.
