The verdict in three sentences
Since 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act applies to consumer-facing digital services in Ireland, including e-commerce, banking, transport ticketing and e-books, through S.I. No. 636 of 2023. For a mid-size Irish company, bringing its website and customer journeys to WCAG 2.2 AA typically costs 10 000 to 35 000 EUR in 2026, over 3 to 6 months. The accessibility statement and a documented remediation plan are what regulators and complainants look at first.
What the EAA requires from an Irish business in 2026
The EAA relies on the harmonised standard EN 301 549, which maps to WCAG 2.1 AA; targeting WCAG 2.2 AA gives margin for the next revision. Microenterprises providing services (fewer than 10 staff and turnover or balance sheet up to 2 million EUR) are exempt. The table summarises the obligations and their cost.
| Obligation | What is required | Indicative 2026 cost (market, ex VAT) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility audit | Representative sample, WCAG criteria, issue log | 4 000 to 9 000 EUR for 20 to 30 templates | Every 2 to 3 years or at redesign |
| Accessibility statement | Compliance level, known issues, contact, enforcement route | 500 to 1 500 EUR (drafting) | At each audit |
| Service information | How the service meets accessibility requirements | 1 000 to 2 500 EUR | At launch, then updated |
| Remediation plan | Prioritised fixes, owners, deadlines | Included in consulting | Yearly |
| Feedback mechanism | Way for users to report barriers | Negligible | Permanent |
| Staff training | Content editors, designers, developers | 1 500 to 4 000 EUR | Yearly |
Market surveillance in Ireland is shared between bodies such as the CCPC and ComReg, and non-compliance can lead to compliance notices and fines set by the regulations, so check the exact exposure with counsel. Reputational risk counts too: disability organisations actively test banking and retail journeys.
The remediation budget, line by line
Remediation cost depends on where the issues come from: design system, checkout and forms, interactive components, PDFs and content.
| Item | 2026 range (market, ex VAT) | Typical share of issues | Who fixes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Templates and design system (navigation, contrast, focus) | 3 000 to 10 000 EUR | 35 to 45 % | Web team or agency |
| Forms and checkout (labels, errors, timeouts) | 2 000 to 8 000 EUR | 15 to 20 % | Web team or agency |
| Interactive components (menus, modals, carousels) | 1 500 to 6 000 EUR | 10 to 15 % | Web team or agency |
| PDFs (terms, statements, brochures) | 1 000 to 4 000 EUR | 10 to 20 % | Marketing or legal |
| Editorial content (headings, links, alt text) | Training 1 500 to 4 000 EUR | 10 to 15 % | Internal editors |
| Re-audit | 1 500 to 3 500 EUR | Verification | Independent auditor |
Fixing templates first has strong leverage: one contrast or keyboard issue in a shared component repeats across every page. A site starting at around 50 % of criteria passed can reach 75 to 85 % in 3 months and over 90 % in 6 months.
A typical 6-month schedule
Month 1: audit on 20 to 30 templates (home, product, checkout, account, contact, help). Months 2 and 3: design system and forms. Month 4: interactive components and priority PDFs. Month 5: editor training. Month 6: re-audit, updated statement and service information.
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Illustrative example: Aoife, head of digital at an online retailer in Dublin with 80 staff, starts from an audit showing 54 % of criteria passed. She budgets 6 000 EUR for the audit, 18 000 EUR for remediation, 3 000 EUR for training and 2 500 EUR for the re-audit, so 29 500 EUR. Checkout fixes have a commercial effect too: if accessible error handling cuts abandonment by 1 point on 2 000 000 EUR of online revenue, that is 20 000 EUR a year, before counting customers who could not buy at all.
FAQ
How much does EAA website compliance cost in Ireland?
For a mid-size company, expect 10 000 to 35 000 EUR in 2026, including audit, remediation, training and re-audit. Complex checkouts or many PDFs push toward the top of the range.
Is WCAG 2.2 AA required by law?
The harmonised standard currently maps to WCAG 2.1 AA. Targeting WCAG 2.2 AA adds only 6 new A and AA criteria and anticipates the next revision.
Are small businesses exempt from the EAA?
Microenterprises providing services, with fewer than 10 staff and up to 2 million EUR turnover or balance sheet, are exempt. Above that, the obligations apply in full.
Do we need to rebuild the website?
Not necessarily. If the stack is recent, fixing the design system and forms for 5 000 to 18 000 EUR is often enough; a rebuild makes sense when fixes exceed about 40 % of the cost of a new site.
How long does it take to get compliant?
Three to six months depending on PDF volume and team availability. Templates hold 35 to 45 % of issues and come first.
Let's scope your project. Send us your latest audit or your site URL for an item-by-item remediation quote with a 3 to 6 month plan and re-audit. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
