IE Domain Registry t/a .IE

Our database at the end of 2020 was 309,853 .ie domains, a net increase of 59.1% over 2019’s net change. European country registries also experienced increased growth and the .ie domain showed the second highest level of growth at 10.3%. A number of important projects were completed in 2020, despite the constraints imposed by the lockdowns. The Board was pleased to support and authorise a significant investment in licensing a state-of-the-art domain registry management system, which was customised for the .ie namespace. We are confident that our Registrars and channel partners will be able to use this industry-standard system to drive their own growth and expansion during the coming years. We were very pleased to announce our new company name during 2020 – .IE, which builds on our already well-established brand. The company undertook the rebranding exercise in order to reflect our expanded role beyond just that of being the national registry and to reflect our profit-for-good strategic objectives. Our purpose is to enable and empower people, communities and businesses across Ireland to thrive online, and this purpose underpins all of our activities. Our values are Equality – Excellence – Endeavour. The Board approved a significant investment of €1 million in the .IE Digital Town programme. The programme has been developed to foster digital enhancement and adoption in Ireland; helping businesses, citizens and communities to harness the benefits of the internet and to thrive online; to support remote working, tackling the digital divide; to encourage sustainability through an enhanced digital economy; to advocate for a strong internet ecosystem to enable a better Ireland online. I would like to acknowledge the continued dedication and diligence of our Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) which was established in 2015 to advise the Board on policy matters. Representative of a broad range of stakeholders, the PAC continued in 2020 to play an important role in assisting us to develop our policies in line with the changing internet environment, while also assisting the Board in balancing the rights, responsibilities and obligations of all parties. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the members for their contribution to the ongoing policy development process at the registry. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our Chief Executive, the executive team and all our staff for their continued dedication and commitment in 2020. In particular, the Board appreciates the team’s commitment to building a resilient technical infrastructure and to meeting the high standards expected by the Company's customers and stakeholders, particularly given the challenging circumstances of the pandemic. To deliver on our ambitious plans, it is vital to continue to attract, nurture and retain talent. There is intense competition for talent in the digital economy, but .IE is viewed as a trustworthy organisation with a purpose and values which are attractive for highly motivated individuals who want to make a positive contribution to the internet community. Outlook The outlook for the digital economy is extremely positive, with the acceleration of digital transformation, enforced by the pandemic restrictions. The challenge will be to ensure that Ireland’s towns and micro businesses can leverage long-term benefits from new levels of e-commerce and remote working. We expect that .ie domain growth will taper-off from the levels experienced during the first lockdown. We are actively engaged in developing responses to the imminent expansion of the EU regulatory environment. Although we welcome the focus on cyber security and ongoing data protection regulations, we are aware of the potential for disruption and the challenges and implications for the future cost base for our channel, and for SMEs broadly. We are confident that the .IE team will continue to serve the citizens and businesses of Ireland and help them thrive online. Louise English Chair 31 July 2021 IE Domain Registry CLG t/a .IE / Annual Report & Review 2020 5 Chair’s Statement