More than six in 10 (61%) of the country's leading services websites are inaccessible to the 600,000 people in Ireland living with a disability, analysis from Inclusion & Accessibility (IA) Labs and the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) has found.
Legislation mandates that public sector websites be digitally accessible, and requirements are set to be extended to private sector websites by 2025 under the European Accessibility Act.
The report also found that three of the country's five most popular social media platforms are not digitally accessible, and the same is true for three of Ireland's five most popular news websites.
Just two of the six most popular clothing websites are usable for a person living with a disability, and four out of the five food delivery apps audited in the report could not be used by a person with a disability.
The study concluded that any person living with a disability would be severely limited in the service websites that they could use, and would struggle to carry out basic, menial tasks online, with clear ramifications for businesses.
In Association with
The report, prepared by IA Labs and commissioned by NCBI, was launched by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Senator Martin Conway, who is visually impaired, to mark the inaugural Digital First Day.
"Over the last number of years, digital has become an essential component of our everyday lives and is transforming the ways in which we work, learn, socialise and access information," Martin said.
"As a government, we remain committed to progressing the digitalisation of our economy and our public services, through various policy objectives such as The Digital Ireland Framework.
"I therefore acknowledge this critical piece of research, which establishes a roadmap for ensuring that businesses and organisations in both the public and private sector become digitally accessible for all users in advance of the forthcoming European Accessibility Act."
The research used a standard testing procedure to audit more than 40 websites and mobile apps that would typically be used on a daily basis, and the audit assessed where the sites and apps could be used by a person living with a disability and tested their compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.
"The EU Web Accessibility Directive and European Accessibility Act are crucial steps in creating digital and online experiences that are accessible for all," said Kyran O'Mahoney, chief technology officers at NCBI.
"Our research demonstrates that people with disabilities are continuing to face barriers and obstacles in an economy and society that is becoming increasingly reliant on digital technology.
"Given that it will soon become mandatory under EU law, businesses, organisations and service providers in Ireland need to check their website or mobile app’s compliance against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and take concrete steps to ensure full accessibility."
DBI launches Digital First best practice ebook for SMEs
Digital Business Ireland has launched a dedicated SME best practice ebook, Harness Digital, Power Growth, to mark Digital First Day.
The ebook is available to download from the DBI website and features expert insights from a number of industry-leading partners at the cutting edge of digital technology.
Contributors include Core Optimisation, Trustpilot, .IE, and IA Labs on tops such as igital marketing, online accessibility, the power of customer reviews, and how an omnichannel approach can give businesses a competitive edge.
"I am pleased to mark this inaugural ‘Digital First Day’ by launching our dedicated SME best practice eBook Harness Digital, Power Growth," said DBI founder Lorraine Higgins.
"The message which ‘Digital First Day’ has emboldened – that of the sheer transformative power of digital for businesses and communities across the country – is one which sits at the heart of Digital Business Ireland’s work.
"The eBook provides insights and perspectives from some of Ireland’s leading companies across technology, digital and ecommerce, and serves as a practical guide for how businesses can incorporate digital into their operations to provide an enhanced experience to their customers, and expand their existing customer or client base," she added.
Photo: (l-r) Micheál Martin, Kyran O’Mahoney, June Tinsley, and Senator Martin Conway.
