It’s another sign things are looking up.

A total of 3,280 new .ie domains were registered in Cork in 2017, an increase of 16 percent on the previous year.

Start-ups take note; the .ie domain remains the preferred online address among Irish businesses. According to a new IE Domain Registry (IEDR), report a total of 7,347 new domains were registered in Munster in 2017, up 19 percent on 2016.

Happily, 2017 was the strongest year on record for the .ie database overall. 39,523 new .ie domains were registered in 2017, a 14 percent increase on 2016. There are now 237,412 .ie domains in the database, a seven percent increase on the previous year end and an almost 30 percent increase on five years ago.

“Online address registrations are often recognised as a forward indicator of economic growth and entrepreneurship.” said David Curtin, Chief Executive of IEDR.

“The increase in registrations in Cork, and indeed in Munster, shows that local businesses have the confidence and willingness to invest in their online presence and digital processes.”

Mr Curtin pointed out that while the outlook is positive, there’s still plenty of work to do.

“According to IEDR’s most recent dot ie Digital Health Index, two-thirds of Irish SMEs with websites cannot process online payments, while one in five have no online presence whatsoever.” he said.

Meanwhile, by 2021, Ireland’s share of the European digital marketplace is expected to total €14 billion. Without a change to the way SMEs engage in e-commerce, as much as 60 percent of that spend could go abroad to foreign retailers.

The IE Domain Registry is calling on the Government to roll out a national campaign focused on teaching micro-businesses essential digital skills and prioritise robust broadband for rural communities.