Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:260. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how she ensures that all websites operated by her Department are accessible to the visually impaired. [4810/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 21 January 2026
Ceisteanna (260)
Freagraí scríofa
As the deputy may be aware, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) within the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, provides the underlying infrastructure and technical environment for the gov.ie websites which includes this Department’s website and all on gov.ie. The OGCIO’s design system and implementation approach ensures that accessibility for visually impaired users is a core requirement in the design, development and operation of all websites under its remit.
All OGCIO managed websites are built and maintained in full compliance with Irish and EU accessibility legislation, including the EU Web Accessibility Directive, the Accessibility of Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2020, and the forthcoming EU Accessibility Act 2025. They meet 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 the regular audits carried out by the National Disability Authority (NDA) under the statutory monitoring framework.
Accessibility statements are kept up to date, and any issues identified through audits or user feedback are addressed. Recent NDA assessments confirmed full compliance for gov.ie in the simplified review and a high score in the in-depth review. This places gov.ie among the most accessible public-service websites in Ireland.
The OGCIO applies accessibility best practice, including compatibility with screen readers, maintaining appropriate colour contrast, and ensuring that all gov.ie enabled services can be operated using keyboard-only navigation.