IE-Annual-Report-&-Review-2024

Chair’s Statement Chair’s Statement Ensuring that the .ie namespace infrastructure is safe and secure for our Internet users and for Irish business is a critical priority for the Board. In 2024 we continued to use our financial resources to invest in developing new services and new sources of revenue to ensure that we have the long-term capability to fulfil our Purpose and Vision. Our Purpose is to support Ireland to get online, grow online and thrive online. As we strive to achieve our strategic objectives, set out on the previous page, we are determined to contribute to Ireland’s digital development by providing a trusted, resilient and accessible .ie Internet domain. In this context, as an Operator of Essential Services, designated by the Department of Communications, we are constantly improving our cyber defenses and proactively building our resilience. We assure our stakeholders of our continued commitment into the future. We are a company limited by guarantee, so .IE’s financial reserves are its only source of capital and it is therefore critically important that we maintain a capital base fully adequate to meet current and prospective business requirements. To reassure our stakeholders, our financial reporting was enhanced in 2024, to include a Statement of Changes in Capital and Reserves . In recording an after-tax surplus of €386k (2023 – €86k) we improved our financial strength in 2024 and recorded new registrations of 45,941 (2023 – 48,458). At year end, investments totalled €8.6m. It is these financial reserves which empowers us to invest in the .ie namespace: in setting up a new centre of expertise in data analytics; licensing the TITAN registration platform; and implementing a €1 million investment over four years in our national .IE Digital Town programme. The Company’s financial position remains strong and remains in line with our financial objectives. In the context of the prevailing international environment, we are including a Risk Report within this Annual Report, for the first time. Balancing the rights, responsibilities and obligations of Internet multi-stakeholders is important to the Board. I would like to acknowledge the continued dedication and diligence of our multi-stakeholder Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) which was established ten years ago to advise the Board on policy matters. Representative of a broad range of stakeholders, the PAC continued in 2024 to play an important role in assisting the Board with policy responses to the new EU Directives, which brings a stricter regulatory cybersecurity environment. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the members for their contribution to the ongoing policy development process and their support of the multi-stakeholder model of good governance. Within the Company, we are building capacity and skill sets in a people-centered culture designed for the digital age. We were pleased to retain the KeepWell accreditation in 2024. To deliver on our ambitious strategic plans, it is vital that we continue to attract, nurture and retain talent. There is intense competition for talent in the digital economy, but .IE is acknowledged 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 Ireland’s digital economy remains broadly positive, although there are headwinds in terms of online scams, deep fakes, and online abuse which result in lower consumer confidence and trust, particularly in certain social media platforms. These are drawing the attention of regulators across the globe, following the path forged by the EU with the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act. For .IE, offering high levels of infrastructure security in email and websites is more important than ever. While we welcome the EU regulatory focus on cybersecurity and its objective to harmonise standards across the EU, we are aware of the potential for short- term disruption and the challenges and implications of a higher cost base for us and for our registrar channel. We assure our stakeholders that our dedicated team will continue offering trustworthy, dependable, and efficient infrastructure and services, empowering the citizens and businesses of Ireland to safely thrive online. Louise English Chair 28 July 2025 IE Domain Registry CLG t/a .IE / Annual Report & Review 2024 4