Policies are developed by the Policy Advisory Committee using a 10-step framework known as the Policy Development Framework, which, when relevant, can include public consultation. This ensures that .ie is a trusted space where Irish citizens and businesses can operate and thrive online in the knowledge that the namespace is managed fairly and transparently.
Policy Advisory Committee (PAC)
In the absence of any all-Island internet governance entity, the PAC acts as an exceptional forum for relevant organizations to discuss and formulate internet policy. Indeed, the multi-stakeholder makeup of the PAC allows it to develop bottom-up and consensus-driven policy recommendations. Policy changes can be requested or suggested by anyone with an interest in the running of the .ie namespace. The PAC has helped guide .ie through a wide range of policy challenges over the years – from setting principles on addressing criminal and technical abuse, to develop policy responses to NIS2 and other emerging regulations.
The Board of the .ie setup a Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) in 2014. The PAC considers and provides advice on policy issues concerning Ireland’s Internet top-level domain, .ie. The PAC makes formal recommendations to the Board.
The work of the PAC follows a 10-step framework known as the .ie Policy Development Process (PDP). The PDP is designed to be bottom-up and consensus-driven. This means that anyone with an interest in the running of the .ie namespace can suggest a policy change. If there is agreement amongst stakeholders, the policy change can be implemented. Further information on the PDP is detailed in section 5 below.
The PAC has previously considered and recommended policy change requests relating to the release of:-
- one / two letter domain names,
- Internationalised domain names (IDNs),
- the re-sale of the right to use a .ie domain name on a secondary market and
- policy liberalisation (removal of the claim registration requirement).
All of these policy change requests were subsequently approved by the Board of the .ie and introduced.
