.IE, the ccTLD of Ireland, has registered a rise of 40,000 domain names in the year 2017 according to IEDR, the registry service provider for the ccTLD. IEDR revealed that the number of registrations today stands at 237,412, a 7% increase from the previous year.
According to IEDR, the rise in the .IE registrations is reflective of Ireland’s healthy economy. They further added that the major contributors to this rise belong to the business sectors in the country, with more than 67% of registrations. Explaining this, David Curtin, Chief Executive of IEDR commented:
More than two-thirds of new .ie domains in 2017 were registered by businesses, a 6% increase on the previous year. This signals a strong, growing economy with enterprises that have the confidence and willingness to invest in their online presence and digital processes. Online address registrations are often recognized as a forward indicator of economic growth and entrepreneurship.
IEDR claim that they are working towards improving this number year-on-year. They further added that they will be seeking help from the government to run a nationwide campaign to drive the message home. Speaking about this in detail, Curtin added:
To improve Ireland’s digital capabilities, we are calling on the Government to collaborate with industry and roll out a national campaign focused on teaching micro-businesses essential digital skills. Robust broadband for rural communities must also be prioritised. In Connacht and Ulster, a quarter of SMEs report a ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ internet connection.
It will be interesting to watch what lies in the future for the .IE domain with such positive indications in store for the IEDR.