The number of .ie registrations has reached a record high despite the recession, it has been revealed by the IE Domain Registry (IEDR), the managed registry for this domain.

The registry found a total of 9,781 .ie domains were registered in the first quarter of 2009, and that registrations in that period were up 28 per cent over the final quarter of 2008.The previous highest number of registrations was recorded in the first quarter of 2008 - at 9,092.

Over 80 per cent of the new .ie website addresses were registered by sole traders or limited companies, with the rest registered by clubs, societies and charities. A total of 98 per cent of the growth in registrations was generated by .ie resellers.

According to the IEDR, the increasing number of companies and sole traders moving their business online with a .ie website is one of the main reasons for the increase.