This country/region is part of the Global Law and Policy Page, which contains information about laws that protect disabled people’s rights to participate in the digital world.
[Note: Ireland is part of the European Union (EU). Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (UK). Visit the European Union section of this Global Digital Accessibility Laws Page for more information about the European Accessibility Act and other digital accessibility Directives impacting EU countries.]
- In December 2023 the European Accessibility Act (EAA) was implemented into Irish law by the European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023. The potential penalties for violating this law are serious:
- (6) A person who commits an offence under these Regulations shall be liable –
(a) on summary conviction to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both, or
(b) on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding €60,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 18 months or to both.
- (6) A person who commits an offence under these Regulations shall be liable –
- Read a January 2024 article about Ireland’s implementation of the EAA titled European Accessibility Act Implemented into Irish Law: Overview of the Irish implementing measures
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According to the article cited above, the National Disability Authority has a special status under the EAA implementing regulations to advise relevant authorities on the accessibility requirements under the EAA and the Irish Regulations. The image here shows Lainey Feingold and Shilpi Kapoor with the National Disability Authority team and guests on a visit to the Authority in May 2023.