Accessibility
Statement of commitment
We are committed to making this website accessible in accordance with S.I. 358/2020 and the European Accessibility Act.
We are committed to achieving AA standard under WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
This accessibility statement applies to this website only – not other government websites or subdomains.
Compliance status
The native HTML content on coastguard.gov.ie is compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines. However, some external content hosted or embedded on this website, such as YouTube videos or OpenStreetMap, may not fully conform to accessibility guidelines.
Non-accessible content
This content is not an exhaustive list of non-accessible content. Despite our efforts to improve accessibility, some content or functionality may not yet fully comply with all accessibility standards. We are continually reviewing and improving the website to address identified issues where possible.
Tables
Some tables on this website do not have correctly defined headers. This makes it harder for people using screen readers or voice recognition software to read the content on the site. (WCAG guideline 1.3.1)
Images
Not all images on this website have photo (or meta-) descriptions. If images do not have the correct descriptions then a user using assistive technologies will not learn the information conveyed in the image (WCAG guidelines 1.1.1).
Colour Contrast
We aim to provide sufficient colour contrast throughout the website to support readability and accessibility while maintaining brand consistency. However, certain brand elements, including logo colours and visual identity components, may not always fully meet recommended contrast ratios in every contexts.
Video Content
We aim to provide captions and audio where available. However, some third-party or older video content may not yet fully support all accessibility features.
Keyboard Navigation
Most areas of the website are designed for keyboard navigation, though some interactive or embedded components may have limited support.
Map
The interactive map we use may not be fully accessible to all assistive technologies. It is controlled by an external provider and may not consistently meet accessibility standards across all platforms or devices. Accessible text alternatives are provided.
How we test this site
We use the WCAG level AA guidelines to test how accessible coatguard.gov.ie is. We used the Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM) approach to assess the site.
We have completed accessibility audits and have carried out user testing on the website. We will continue to do this.
We regularly engage with the National Disability Authority (NDA), which is the monitoring body for accessibility of public sector websites in Ireland. The website is subject to annual reviews by the NDA.
Feedback and contact information
If you have any complaints about the accessibility of content used on this website – then you can contact via our contact details on our Contact Us page.
Escalation of a complaint
If you are not happy with our response then you can make a complaint to the Ombudsman under the Disability Act.