Ireland is considering loosening rules that oblige applicants for a website domain to prove they have a valid claim to the name.

Currently, to register a .ie domain name, an individual or business must prove that they have a valid claim to the desired name and a real, tangible connection to the island of Ireland.

Key to the consultation however is a proposal which would drop the requirement for .ie domain registrants to prove a “claim to the name”.

The IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the company responsible for managing and maintaining Ireland’s domain name, .ie, has commenced a public consultation on liberalisation of the .ie domain policy.

Registrants will still need to prove a tangible connection to the island of Ireland.

According to the IEDR, the policy will make it easier and faster for individuals and businesses to register a .ie domain name, and will further open up the .ie domain names space to citizens, clubs, communities and businesses.

“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 .ie address,” David Curtin, chief executive of IEDR, said. “Our liberalisation proposal will make registering a .ie domain more straightforward for both individuals and businesses.”

The policy change has already been approved in principle by IEDR’s policy advisory committee and other key .ie domain stakeholders, and by the IEDR board of directors. Subject to final consensus following this public consultation, it is envisaged that the policy change will come into force in early 2018.

There were 230,611 .ie domains in existence as of June 30th last. In the first half of 2017, there were 20,255 new .ie registrations, up 11 per cent on the same period last year.

The consultation runs until September 30th.