Online advertising has overtaken cinema ads in the Irish Republic, according to a new report.

The Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) said that during the first six months the country's internet advertising spend reached €5.9 million, 20 per cent ahead of cinema's reported €4.9 million.

However, online advertising is still dwarfed by print marketing, with adverts in newspapers attracting spending of €532 million - although the medium recorded the smallest rise out of any media during the six months.

Recent online advertising figures have indicated that the medium is becoming a major medium for marketers on the east side of the pond.

Nearby Britain has also seen increased online advertising spending, with the telecommunications regulator Ofcom recently announcing that online marketing spending was now greater than radio spending.

British marketers are now spending £1.3 billion a year on online ads, compared to radio spending of £0.5 billion. Television advertising spending is still three times greater than online, however.