Ireland must move beyond digital accessibility towards inclusion

For me, inclusion is deeply personal. As someone who has grown up with limited vision, I don't want to be accommodated; I want to be included in every aspect of life. To me, this is inclusion.

One year ago (June 28th 2025), the European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force, marking a shift in how digital products are delivered across the EU.

While we can be very proud that Europe is doubling down on inclusion, a year after the EAA, millions of Europeans with disabilities still encounter barriers on a daily basis when applying for jobs, accessing services, shopping online or managing their finances.

I have experienced firsthand how technology can empower people to be independent or, conversely, exclude them completely from an increasingly digital world. Digital inclusion is one of the biggest issues facing modern society, but legislation alone will not create an inclusive culture.

According to the WHO, over one billion people globally are living with a disability. One in four people needs assistance to access the internet. However, less than four per cent (4%) of websites worldwide meet the minimum accessibility standard. While most major countries have laws in place to address this, including Ireland, little real change has been seen. In 2019, 97.8% of the world's top one million websites failed basic WCAG standards. By 2025, that figure had crept down to 94.8%.

A year on, the 2026 data is in. It's back up to 95.9%.

If one in four of the world's population can't fully engage in a digital world, we've got a problem. The European Accessibility Act signals Europe's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the digital age. DEI may not be the easiest path, but by any moral measure, it is the right thing to do.

From a cultural society standpoint, Europe's EAA is beginning to provide a framework for including everyone in the digital world. But inclusion is more than a checkbox exercise.

Take the banking sector. It is still incredibly inaccessible. Many older people, those with vision impairments or individuals with learning difficulties can't access an ATM or read their own bank statements. Yet, we have an inherent right to financial independence.

We must move beyond Digital Accessibility, which is about making accommodations for people with different abilities and transition towards inclusion. Inclusion means independence.

Having spent years advocating for digital inclusion, I see three compelling reasons why it's in every European company's best interest to embrace digital inclusion.

We know that one in four people globally needs assistance to access the online world. If you told any CEO or CMO they could gain a 25% increase in reach, acquisition, or conversion, they'd bite your hand off!

Accessibility isn't just needed to gain customers, either. Internal tools or hiring platforms can make all the difference in helping employees apply for jobs or navigate internal policy documents. Digital inclusion goes beyond the obvious examples of video subtitles or font sizes. By paying attention to details like breaking up large blocks of text or removing distracting animation, a business owner can make life easier for customers or employees with neurodivergence.

Greater digital inclusion drives productivity and innovation, builds stronger customer loyalty, and opens up a broader, more diverse talent pool.

Legislation like the European Accessibility Act has shifted accessibility from a nice-to-have to a legal requirement. We have seen many Irish organisations focused on meeting legal requirements; whilst accessibility audits and website fixes are important, genuine inclusion requires thinking about the full user experience.

Recent reports show a marked improvement in public sector websites. Public bodies like the Central Bank and the National Transport Authority are now embedding accessibility requirements into their procurement criteria. At the same time, Fáilte Ireland has made digital accessibility a core component of its Digital That Delivers programme.

Despite this, Digital Business Ireland recently found that half of Irish businesses are unaware of the requirements under the European Accessibility Act.

It begs the question. A year after the legislation, is Ireland any closer to digital accessibility?  And is there a day when accessibility turns into inclusion in Ireland?

More people are familiar with the concept of digital accessibility, or have at least heard of the European Accessibility Act. However, real meaningful change is slower.

If we treat accessibility as a compliance exercise, we miss the bigger opportunity.

The third and most important reason is - it's just the right thing to do! The EAA is an incredible first step for Europe, but it is just the first step. The challenge now is whether we are willing to build a digital society where everyone can participate independently and with dignity.

I hope, in time, to see the EAA evolve into the Digital Inclusion Act. Inclusion does not make exceptions for people who are different. Inclusion begins when we design a world where difference is expected. We are all different.