Kinsale, Co Cork. Image: Tyler W Stipp/Shutterstock
Ireland’s domain registry has begun a public consultation to determine whether the rules for dot-IE domain ownership are too restrictive.
The IE Domain Registry (IEDR), keyholder to the dot-IE domain, is considering making it easier for people to be eligible for the Irish domain name.
Under current rules, a person or business looking to have an Irish domain on their site must prove that they have a valid claim to the desired name and a real, tangible connection to the island of Ireland.
To run between now and 30 September, the IEDR will open a public consultation to ask whether it would be more efficient to drop the need for a valid claim to the name, but keep the need for the Irish connection.
If the policy change is approved, the IEDR said, any individual or business will be able to register a dot-IE domain name on a first-come, first-served basis.
This, it added, may make it easier and faster, and will further open up the dot-IE domain namespace to citizens, clubs, communities and businesses.
Could be implemented by 2018
The policy change has already been approved in principle by IEDR’s policy advisory committee and other key dot-IE domain stakeholders.
Subject to final consensus by the public consultation, it could come into force as early as the first quarter of 2018.
IEDR chief executive David Curtin said: “By dropping the ‘claim to a name’ requirement but retaining the connection to Ireland, we are removing a hurdle that slows down some registrants from getting started with a dot-IE address.
“Our liberalisation proposal will make registering a dot-IE domain more straightforward for both individuals and businesses.”
Figures up to June 2017 show that there are a total of 230,611 dot-IE domains, with more than 20,000 added in the first half of the year.
Kinsale, Co Cork. Image: Tyler W Stipp/Shutterstock
