Malcolm Byrne
Question:32. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment how he ensures that all websites operated by his Department are accessible to the visually impaired. [4811/26]
View answerWednesday, 21 January 2026
Questions (32)
Written answers
My Department is committed to ensuring that its website is accessible to people with disabilities, including those who are visually impaired.
The Department’s website is published on the gov.ie platform which is developed, maintained and governed by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). Accessibility is managed in line with OGCIO guidance and standards, including compliance with the EU Web Accessibility Directive, the Accessibility of Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2020, and the forthcoming EU Accessibility Act 2025. It meets the WCAG 2.1 AA international accessibility standards, and work is underway to transition to WCAG 2.2 AA.
Accessibility is monitored continuously through automated testing, manual reviews and regular audits carried out by the National Disability Authority (NDA) under the statutory monitoring framework. In collaboration with the NDA, OGCIO has issued comprehensive accessibility standards for documents, videos, images and other online content, including requirements for alternative text, captions, appropriate heading structure, colour contrast, and avoiding PDFs where possible.
My Department supports the framework by ensuring that our content across gov.ie and our social media channels complies with accessibility guidance. We also provide an accessibility statement and contact details for the access officer responsible for providing, arranging or coordinating assistance to persons with disabilities who wish to access our services.