As Ireland’s digital landscape continues to evolve, a significant regulatory change is on the horizon that will affect nearly every business with an online presence. Irish law has implemented the European Accessibility Act (EAA), set to take effect on June 28, 2025, just around the corner.
At Splash, we’ve been closely following these developments to ensure our clients are prepared. This comprehensive guide breaks down what the EAA means for Irish businesses, what compliance entails, and how our team can help you navigate these new requirements.
What’s the European Accessibility Act?
The EAA is a directive aimed at improving accessibility for products and services across the EU, including websites and digital platforms. It standardises accessibility requirements across member states to ensure people with disabilities can access and use digital services without unnecessary barriers.
For Ireland, with over 640,000 people living with disabilities (approximately 1 in 7 citizens), this legislation represents a significant step toward digital inclusion.
Who Needs to Comply?
Most businesses operating in Ireland that provide digital services to consumers will need to comply with the EAA, with one notable exception:
Microenterprise Exemption: If your company has:
- Fewer than 10 employees, AND
- Annual turnover not exceeding €2 million
Then your business is exempt from EAA requirements for services (though not for products if you manufacture or sell physical goods).
It’s worth noting that even exempt businesses may still want to consider accessibility improvements, as they open your website to a wider audience and demonstrate social responsibility.
What Are the Requirements?
While the EAA itself hasn’t provided detailed technical accessibility standards, it’s widely anticipated that it will adopt the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level AA as its compliance standard. This arrangement is consistent with requirements already in place for public sector websites in Ireland.
Key requirements will likely include:
- Perceivable information: Content must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive (e.g., text alternatives for non-text content, captions for multimedia)
- Operable interface: User interface components must be operable by all users (e.g., keyboard accessibility, sufficient time to read content)
- Understandable information: Information and operation must be understandable (e.g., readable text, predictable functionality)
- Robust content: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies
What Are the Penalties for Non-Compliance?
Ireland has established clear penalties for businesses that fail to comply with the EAA:
- On summary conviction: A fine of up to €5,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months
- On conviction on indictment: A fine of up to €60,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 18 months
Beyond these direct penalties, non-compliance can lead to:
- Limited market reach: You could be excluding 22% of Ireland’s population
- Negative publicity: Potential damage to your brand reputation
- Loss of competitive edge: As competitors embrace accessibility
- Consumer legal action: Individuals can take direct action against non-compliant businesses
How Enforcement Will Work in Practice
The Irish Regulations give enforcement powers to market surveillance authorities and compliance authorities, who can issue directions to businesses to comply with the provisions. Additionally, they outline a procedure for individual consumers to take action against businesses in Irish courts.
What makes this noteworthy is that private individuals, potentially backed by advocacy groups, can bring court proceedings directly. This creates multiple avenues for enforcement.
Steps to Prepare for EAA Compliance
If your business is not exempt, here’s how to prepare:
- Conduct an Accessibility Audit: Start by assessing your current website against WCAG 2.1 AA standards to identify gaps. The process should involve both automated testing tools and manual expert review.
- Develop a Compliance Plan: Based on the audit findings, create a prioritised roadmap for necessary changes. Focus on critical user journeys first.
- Implement Technical Changes: Update your website code, design, and content to meet accessibility standards. Common areas needing attention include:
- Image alt text
- Keyboard navigation
- Color contrast
- Form labels
- Heading structure
- Focus indicators
- Test with Assistive Technologies Verify that your website works with screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and other assistive technologies.
- Create an Accessibility Statement Please document your compliance efforts and kindly provide contact information for users to report any accessibility issues.
- Train Your Team Ensure your content creators and developers understand accessibility requirements for ongoing compliance.
Benefits Beyond Compliance
While legal compliance is important, making your website accessible offers several business benefits:
- Expanded audience: Access to the 1 in 7 Irish citizens with disabilities
- Improved user experience: Accessibility improvements often benefit all users
- Enhanced SEO: Many accessibility best practices also improve search engine optimization
- Positive brand image: Demonstrating social responsibility and inclusion
- Future-proofing: Building with accessibility in mind makes future updates easier
How We Can Help
At Splash, we offer comprehensive EAA compliance services:
- Accessibility Audits: Detailed assessment of your current website
- Remediation Services: Expert developers to implement necessary changes
- WCAG 2.1 AA Certification: Documentation of compliance
- Ongoing Monitoring: Ensuring continued compliance as your site evolves
- Staff Training: Equipping your team with accessibility knowledge
Conclusion
The European Accessibility Act represents both a challenge and an opportunity for Irish businesses. By embracing digital accessibility now, you can avoid penalties, expand your market reach, and demonstrate your commitment to inclusion.
With the June 2025 deadline approaching, the time to act is now. Contact us today to schedule an accessibility consultation and ensure your website is ready for the EAA.
Please email sales@splash.ie or call Stephen at 0818 44 55 66 if you have any questions.
