Internet Policy

The term ‘internet governance’, as defined by UNESCO, refers to the “development and application by Governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet”. Global internet governance is led by a multi-stakeholder model where everybody has a say in the decisions that uphold the global internet standards, key networks and technical infrastructure that ensure an operational Internet.

Ireland strongly supports this multi-stakeholder approach by participating in a variety of international fora and dialogues. The UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 20-year review reaffirmed the global commitment to the multi-stakeholder approach in December 2025. As part of the WSIS, the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF) was also established for stakeholders to discuss and share insights about public policy issues pertaining to the Internet. The first Irish IGF was held in 2025.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is a multi-stakeholder group and non-profit organization responsible for coordinating the maintenance and procedures of several databases related to the namespaces and numerical spaces of the Internet, ensuring the network’s stable and secure operation. ICANN was formed in 1998.

Members of the Internet Policy team sit on the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) within ICANN, which is responsible for providing government advice and input to the global technical community.

Ireland has a respected and vibrant country-code Top Level Domain (ccTLD): .ie. As per the multi-stakeholder model of internet governance, the Government supports the work done by IE Domain Registry CLG (.IE), the ccTLD manager, by participating in its Policy Advisory Committee (PAC).

In April 2026, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport established a Terms of Endorsement with .IE, formalising the relationship between the Irish government and the Irish ccTLD manager.