Pictured: Dermot McGirr, commercial partner at Mason Hayes & Curran.
Six out of 10 Irish businesses are not prepared for compliance with the European Accessibility Act (EAA), according to a survey by business law firm Mason Hayes & Curran.
The EAA is an EU directive aimed at improving the accessibility of products and services, ensuring that people with disabilities have better access to essential goods and services across the European Union.
With the EAA taking effect next June, the findings highlight urgent challenges facing Irish businesses.
The survey, of 150 professionals, was conducted at a recent webinar on the new legislation. The results showed that 58 per cent of respondents lack confidence in their organisation’s understanding of the EAA’s requirements, suggesting a gap in awareness and education.
The EAA will affect a broad range of sectors, including technology, banking and transport, requiring businesses to ensure accessibility for users with disabilities under its provisions.
Dermot McGirr, commercial partner at Mason Hayes & Curran, said: “With less than nine months until the EAA comes into force, businesses should act now. The first step is to determine if they are in-scope of the EAA and if so, to put a robust compliance programme in place to meet next summer’s deadline.”
Nearly two-thirds (62 per cent) of respondents said that their organisation has not yet conducted an accessibility audit, a critical step in identifying gaps and areas for improvement.
Mr McGirr said: “Once a business establishes that it is in-scope of the EAA, an accessibility audit is fundamental to understanding where it stands and what needs to be done. This is the foundation to mapping out the required steps towards compliance.”
The survey also identified the primary challenges businesses face in achieving compliance, with 45 per cent citing technical implementation and 42 per cent pointing to a lack of expertise.
“To overcome these challenges, we work closely with clients to assess whether they are in-scope of the EAA and, if so, to then develop a comprehensive compliance roadmap tailored to their specific products and services,” Mr McGirr said.
“Preparing EAA compliant accessibility statements is a particularly important part of this process.”