The verdict in three sentences
A public agency website redesign in Dublin costs between 90,000 and 280,000 EUR in 2026, depending on the number of online services, languages and integrations. English and Irish versions, GDPR compliance and the EU Web Accessibility Directive are baseline requirements to price from the start. Plan 6 to 9 months from tender launch to go-live, then 14,000 to 28,000 EUR a year of maintenance.
Building a credible pre-tender estimate
The head of IT must produce a realistic estimate before publishing the tender on eTenders. Too low and you attract unrealistic bids or a failed procurement; too high and it is hard to justify to the evaluation panel. The safest method is to break the project into functional lots.
| Item | Expected scope | Indicative 2026 budget (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Audit and UX design | Current-site audit, information architecture, wireframes, user testing | 12,000 to 28,000 |
| Visual identity and design system | Accessible components, multilingual variants | 9,000 to 23,000 |
| Development and CMS | Headless CMS, multi-level approval workflow | 35,000 to 105,000 |
| English and Irish versions | Translation, layout, official language review | 14,000 to 42,000 |
| Online services and forms | Applications, complaints, downloads, tracking | 12,000 to 46,000 |
| GDPR and security | DPIA, cookie policy, penetration test | 7,000 to 21,000 |
| Content migration | News, documents, publications | 5,000 to 15,000 |
The total covers the 90,000 to 280,000 EUR range. A mid-sized agency with 3 or 4 online services usually lands around 150,000 to 185,000 EUR.
A realistic public procurement timeline
| Stage | Indicative duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Specification and estimate | 4 to 6 weeks | Irish language, accessibility, EU data hosting |
| Publication and bid submission | 3 to 5 weeks | Minimum notice periods, clarification questions |
| Evaluation and award | 3 to 6 weeks | Weighted technical score, similar references, standstill period |
| Discovery and design | 6 to 8 weeks | Sign-off by management and communications |
| Development and integration | 10 to 14 weeks | Editorial workflow, forms, system integrations |
| Testing, training, launch | 3 to 4 weeks | Load tests, accessibility audit, editor training |
Overall, budget 6 to 9 months. The longest part is not development but producing and approving content in both languages.
Technical requirements to put in the specification
The tender should require WCAG 2.1 AA compliance with a published accessibility statement, compliance with the Official Languages Act for Irish content, EU-based hosting and an exit and reversibility plan. For GDPR, plan a data protection impact assessment for each processing activity (newsletter, forms, recruitment) and a cookie banner with explicit consent.
Mini case study
Aoife, head of IT at a public agency in Dublin, must replace a 9-year-old website. She estimates the contract at 180,000 EUR: 21,000 for UX, 16,000 for design, 76,000 for development, 28,000 for languages, 25,000 for 4 online services, 14,000 for GDPR and security. Her teams handle 1,200 paper requests a year at about 45 minutes each, 900 hours. If 60 % move online and handling time is halved, she frees 270 hours a year, alongside planned maintenance of 21,000 EUR a year.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
What budget should a public agency plan for a website redesign in Ireland?
Between 90,000 and 280,000 EUR in 2026, depending on online services, languages and integrations. A mid-sized agency sits around 150,000 to 185,000 EUR.
Why does the Irish version add cost?
It requires translation, official review and layout adjustments for longer strings. Languages represent 14,000 to 42,000 EUR of the budget.
What is needed for GDPR?
A DPIA per processing activity, a privacy notice and consent management. Budget 7,000 to 21,000 EUR including the security test.
How much does yearly maintenance cost?
Between 14,000 and 28,000 EUR a year for application support, security updates and a block of enhancements. Put it in a renewable framework agreement.
How long does the whole project take?
From 6 to 9 months, from specification to go-live. Development alone takes 10 to 14 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Share your current site, online services and procurement constraints, and we will help you build an estimate between 90,000 and 280,000 EUR with a 6 to 9 month plan. 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.
