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The .ie Domain Registry has broken away from University College Dublin to become an independent service, IE Domain Registry Limited.
The new company will operate the registry, which registers and allocates all .ie domain names, on behalf of domain name users.
Mike Fagan will continue as General Manager of the registry, which currently has in excess of 17,000 Web site addresses registered and handles approximately 600 new applications each month.
"This is just the first step in what has been promised for a long time. The ultimate goal is to hand the company over to the Irish Internet community," said Fagan.
The transferral from UCD is being done on a phased basis. At the moment, three of the four board directors are from UCD with one director seat vacant, but within six to nine months the company intends to bring in more independent directors representing the Internet community.
"We haven't actually approached anyone yet, but we'd be hopeful that we'd get someone from the Irish Internet Association (IIA), somebody from the Information Society Commission and someone from the Department of Public Enterprise, as well as a delegate from Consumer Affairs, who would represent the average Sean Citizen as opposed to just the industry itself," Fagan commented.
University College Dublin has operated the .ie domain registry since its inception in July 1998, but the close relationship between the two had drawn criticism from within the industry, with some critics alleging that UCD was profiting from IEDR revenue.
In an earlier ElectricNews.Net interview, however, Fagan vehemently refuted such allegations. He stressed that UCD was eager to see the split made.
"We are delighted to have been associated with the creation and development of the .ie domain registry and we wish the operation well in its new existence independent of the University," said UCD President Dr. Art Cosgrove.
"UCD has helped to nurture the registry from its inception and we all hope today marks the beginning of a new era of continued growth and development for the registry," added Fagan.
The IEDR also unveiled a new shamrock-style logo at the recent National Internet Business Awards on 6 October.
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