IE Domain Registry

Company Information

IEDR (IE Domain Registry CLG) is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that manages and maintains Ireland's country code top-level domain (ccTLD), .ie. IEDR's offices are based at 2 Harbour Square, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

IEDR is a member of, and participates collaboratively with other ccTLD Registries at the Council of European National Top-Level Domain Registries (CENTR).

Background

The .ie namespace was initially managed in University College Dublin (UCD), however in July 2000, IEDR became a private company. It has no shareholders and the company is owned by its members who are the directors.

This structure, being limited by guarantee, is a very common one for domain registries around the world.

Surpluses are not distributed, they are added to opening reserves. Directors, as per the company’s constitution, do not have a “beneficial interest“ in the reserves of the company.

These acts are undertaken as a public service. It liaises as required with government departments, governing bodies, trade associations and abides by Internet best practice principles while still operating as an independent private company.

IEDR's work includes protecting, supporting and promoting the online presence of all .ie domain names.

.ie Policy Development & the Policy Advisory Committee

The Board of the IE Domain Registry (IEDR) established a Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) in July 2014 to consider and provide advice on policy issues concerning Ireland’s Internet top-level domain, .ie.

The Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) operates in line with the framework of the .ie Policy Development Process (PDP) which is designed to be bottom-up, consensus-driven and multi-stakeholder led -

this means that any stakeholder can submit a policy change request, and where there is consensus among stakeholders, the policy change can be implemented.

The PAC has previously considered policy change proposals, such as those relating to the introduction of:-

• 1 & 2 letter domain names
• Internationalised domain names (IDNs)
• the secondary market (re-sale of the right to use a .ie domain name via the aftermarket)
• a restriction on the use of the term "architect" in .ie domain registrations
• an alternative dispute resolution policy

It has also considered policy change proposals relating to the removal of the:-

• restriction on registering .ie domains corresponding to geographic place names in the island of Ireland
• registration requirement to show a "claim to the name" - retaining the need to demonstrate a substantive connection to the island of Ireland
• restriction on personal domain names
• restriction of the use of the term "university" in .ie domain names

The Policy Advisory Committee convenes on an almost quarterly basis, in person, to discuss the various policy change proposals raised for consideration. Further engagement is facilitated by means of conference call and mailing list discussions in the interim periods between meetings, to ensure that discussions progress and maintain momentum.

Registration and Naming Policy

Those wishing to register .ie domains must show that the meet the registration requirements of the .ie namespace, which are detailed within the Registration and Naming Policy.

Specifically, future Registrants of .ie domain names must show that they have a substantive connection to the island of Ireland.

.ie Dispute Resolution Policy

Complaints regarding .ie domain names can be submitted to the .ie Dispute Resolution Policy, which is independently operated by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). IEDR implements the decisions made by the Administrative Panel appointed to review the complaint, subject to a 21-day stay on decision implementation (to allow for the submission of a legal challenge).

Awards & Recognition

On November 2009, IEDR received the 2009 Designed Awards from the Society of Chartered Accountants. The award was based on IEDR’s 2008 Annual Report and Review. Furthermore, .ie has been ranked by 2009 McAfee Mapping the Mal Web Report as the safest domain name in Europe and the second safest domain name in the world following .jp.

IEDR and ICANN

On June 9, 2010, IEDR CEO David Curtin filed an application to become member of ICANN ccNSO.

Country code top-level domain

Policy Development Process