Irish Government Plain Language and Accessibility Content Standards
Irish public bodies must communicate in plain language and meet accessibility standards. Here's how to review your content for compliance with Irish and EU requirements.
Ireland has made significant commitments to plain language and digital accessibility in government communications. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), transposed into Irish law, the EU Web Accessibility Directive (implemented through S.I. No. 358 of 2020), and the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 collectively create a framework requiring public bodies to produce content that is accessible, understandable, and available in both English and Irish.
For government departments, local authorities, semi-state bodies, and organisations delivering public services, content compliance spans plain language (making content understandable), digital accessibility (WCAG compliance), and Irish language obligations (bilingual content requirements). The National Disability Authority (NDA) provides guidance on accessibility, while An Coimisinéir Teanga (the Language Commissioner) monitors Irish language compliance.
The Regulatory Framework
EU Web Accessibility Directive
Implemented in Ireland through S.I. No. 358 of 2020:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scope | All public sector body websites and mobile applications |
| Standard | WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance |
| Accessibility statement | Every website must publish an accessibility statement |
| Feedback mechanism | Users must be able to report accessibility issues |
| Monitoring | NDA monitors compliance and reports to the European Commission |
| Enforcement | Complaints to the Ombudsman; NDA monitoring reports |
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
The EAA extends accessibility requirements to the private sector (from June 2025):
| Requirement | Applies To |
|---|---|
| E-commerce | Online shopping websites and applications |
| Banking | Digital banking services |
| Transport | Ticketing and booking systems |
| Telecommunications | Phone services, messaging |
| E-books | Electronic publications |
| Audio-visual | Media services |
Official Languages Act
The Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 strengthened Irish language obligations:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| 20% target | Public bodies must ensure 20% of new recruits are competent in Irish by 2030 |
| Bilingual publications | Certain publications must be produced simultaneously in English and Irish |
| Signage | Public body signage must be bilingual |
| Advertising | At least 20% of advertising expenditure on Irish language or bilingual advertising |
| Digital presence | Websites and social media content increasingly expected in both languages |
| Language plans | Public bodies in Gaeltacht areas must prepare and implement language plans |
Plain Language in Ireland
While Ireland doesn't have a standalone Plain Language Act (unlike New Zealand), plain language is embedded in multiple frameworks:
- Government Communications Guidelines recommend plain language for all public communications
- The NDA recommends plain language as an accessibility measure
- WCAG 2.1 includes readability requirements (Level AAA) and understandable content (Level AA)
- Citizens Information Board publishes plain language guidance for public services
- EU regulations increasingly require consumer-facing documents in plain language
Content Accessibility Requirements
WCAG 2.1 Level AA — Content-Specific
| WCAG Criterion | Content Requirement | Common Failure |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Non-text Content | Alt text for all informative images | Missing alt text, decorative images without empty alt |
| 1.3.1 Info and Relationships | Structure conveyed through proper headings, lists, tables | Using bold text instead of headings; tables without headers |
| 1.4.3 Contrast | 4.5:1 contrast ratio for normal text | Light grey text on white backgrounds |
| 2.4.2 Page Titled | Descriptive, unique page titles | Generic titles like "Page 1" or duplicate titles |
| 2.4.4 Link Purpose | Link text describes the destination | "Click here," "Read more," "More info" |
| 2.4.6 Headings and Labels | Descriptive headings that indicate content | Vague headings like "Information" or "Details" |
| 3.1.1 Language of Page | Page language identified in HTML | Missing lang attribute |
| 3.1.2 Language of Parts | Language changes marked in HTML | Irish language text within English pages not tagged |
| 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions | Form inputs have labels and instructions | Placeholder text used instead of labels |
Plain Language Standards
| Criterion | Target | Measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Reading level | Grade 8-9 for general public content | Flesch-Kincaid readability score |
| Sentence length | Average 15-20 words | Word count analysis |
| Paragraph length | 2-4 sentences maximum | Visual inspection |
| Active voice | Predominant use | Grammar analysis |
| Jargon | Defined on first use or replaced | Content review |
| Structure | Descriptive headings, bulleted lists, tables | Structural analysis |
| Front-loading | Key information in the first paragraph | Content review |
Irish Language Content Standards
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | Irish language content must be grammatically correct and natural |
| Consistency | Consistent use of Irish across all platforms and documents |
| Quality | Not machine-translated — reviewed by competent Irish speaker |
| Accessibility | Irish language content must meet the same WCAG standards as English |
| Simultaneous publication | Where bilingual publication is required, both versions published at the same time |
| Language tagging | Irish language content properly tagged with lang="ga" in HTML |
Common Content Failures
1. Accessibility Statement Missing or Incomplete
The EU Web Accessibility Directive requires every public sector website to have an accessibility statement:
- No accessibility statement published
- Statement doesn't follow the prescribed format
- Statement doesn't list known accessibility issues
- No feedback mechanism for reporting accessibility problems
- Statement not updated when accessibility changes are made
- Statement claims full compliance when issues exist
2. Document Accessibility
PDFs and other documents published on government websites are frequently inaccessible:
- PDFs not tagged for screen readers
- Scanned documents published as images (not searchable, not readable by screen readers)
- Tables in documents without header identification
- Documents without bookmarks or navigation structure
- Forms in PDF format not fillable or not accessible
- No alternative format available (HTML, plain text)
3. Plain Language Failures
| Government Language | Plain Alternative |
|---|---|
| "In accordance with the provisions of" | "Under" |
| "Notwithstanding" | "Despite" or "Even though" |
| "Heretofore" | "Until now" or "Previously" |
| "The Department wishes to advise" | "We want to let you know" |
| "Pursuant to" | "Under" or "Following" |
| "Aforementioned" | "These" or name the specific thing |
| "Expedite" | "Speed up" |
| "Furnish" (in the sense of "provide") | "Give" or "Send" |
| "Avail of" | "Use" or "Get" |
4. Irish Language Compliance Gaps
- English content updated but Irish version not
- Irish version is a poor machine translation not reviewed by a speaker
- Irish language content not meeting the same accessibility standards
- Bilingual requirements not met for publications that must be simultaneous
- Social media presence entirely in English
- Irish language content tagged with lang="en" instead of lang="ga"
5. Form and Service Content
- Application forms using complex legal language
- Eligibility criteria written as dense paragraphs instead of checklists
- Error messages that don't explain what went wrong or how to fix it
- No plain language summary of rights and obligations
- Terms and conditions in impenetrable legal language
Building a Content Review Process
Step 1: Content Audit
| Content Type | Count | WCAG Compliant? | Plain Language? | Irish Available? | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website pages | 150 | ⚠️ 23 issues | ⚠️ 12 pages Grade 12+ | ❌ 30% only | High |
| PDFs/documents | 85 | ❌ 60 not tagged | ⚠️ Varies | ❌ 10% only | Critical |
| Forms | 15 | ⚠️ 8 issues | ❌ Complex language | ❌ 5 forms only | Critical |
| Social media | Ongoing | N/A | ✅ Generally good | ⚠️ Minimal Irish | Medium |
| Publications | 12/year | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ⚠️ 60% bilingual | High |
| Accessibility statement | 1 | ❌ Incomplete | ✅ | ❌ English only | Critical |
Step 2: Review Criteria
Accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA):
- All images have appropriate alt text
- Heading hierarchy correct (H1 → H2 → H3, no skipping)
- Link text is descriptive (no "click here")
- Colour contrast meets 4.5:1 ratio
- Forms have proper labels and error messages
- Page language identified (lang="en" or lang="ga")
- Language changes within pages properly tagged
- Tables have identified headers
- Documents (PDFs) are tagged and navigable
Plain language:
- Reading level ≤ Grade 9 for general public content
- Active voice predominant
- No unexplained jargon or legal terminology
- Short sentences (average 15-20 words)
- Key information front-loaded
- Descriptive headings throughout
- Lists used for multiple related items
- Complex processes broken into numbered steps
Irish language:
- Required publications available in Irish simultaneously
- Irish content reviewed by competent Irish speaker (not just machine-translated)
- Irish content tagged with lang="ga"
- Irish content meets same accessibility standards as English
- Consistent Irish language usage across the website
- Bilingual signage and navigation where required
Step 3: Implement Review Workflow
- Content drafted in plain English
- Plain language review (reading level, structure, vocabulary)
- Accessibility review (WCAG 2.1 AA)
- Irish language version created (where required)
- Irish language reviewed by competent speaker
- Irish content accessibility review
- Accessibility statement updated (if changes affect accessibility)
- Publish both versions simultaneously (where required)
- Quarterly content audit
Step 4: Review Cycles
| Activity | Frequency |
|---|---|
| New content review (before publishing) | Every piece |
| Accessibility spot-check (10-20 pages) | Monthly |
| Plain language audit (sample of public-facing content) | Quarterly |
| Irish language content currency check | Quarterly |
| Full WCAG accessibility audit | Annually |
| Accessibility statement review | Semi-annually |
| Document accessibility audit (PDFs) | Semi-annually |
| NDA monitoring preparation | As notified |
Using AI to Review Content
What AI Can Check
- Reading level — instant Flesch-Kincaid scoring
- Plain language — flag jargon, passive voice, complex sentences, bureaucratic vocabulary
- Structure — check heading hierarchy, paragraph length, use of lists
- Link text — identify non-descriptive links
- Alt text — flag images without alt text descriptions
- Language tagging — identify Irish language text within English pages
- Consistency — flag terminology variations across pages
- Accessibility statement — check that required elements are present
What AI Cannot Check
- Whether Irish language content is grammatically correct (requires native/fluent speaker review)
- Technical WCAG compliance (colour contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility)
- Whether content meets the specific needs of people with disabilities
- Whether Irish language translations accurately convey the English meaning
- Whether the feedback mechanism for accessibility issues actually works
Practical Example
In TeamBench, you could configure a reviewer:
Reviewer name: Irish Government Content Compliance Reviewer
System prompt:
You are a content reviewer for Irish public bodies. Review web content, publications, and forms against EU Web Accessibility Directive requirements (WCAG 2.1 Level AA), plain language best practices, and Official Languages Act obligations. For plain language: check reading level (target Grade 8-9), flag bureaucratic and legal jargon (replace with everyday alternatives), check for active voice, short sentences, and front-loaded key information. For accessibility: check heading hierarchy, link text quality, alt text presence, form label clarity, and language tagging (lang="en" for English, lang="ga" for Irish). For Irish language: flag where Irish versions are missing for content that requires bilingual publication, and check that Irish content is properly tagged. Note: Irish language accuracy must be verified by a competent Irish speaker. Use Irish English (Hiberno-English).
Evaluation criteria:
- Plain Language (weight: 3) — Grade 8-9 reading level, no jargon, active voice
- Accessibility (weight: 3) — WCAG 2.1 AA content requirements met
- Irish Language (weight: 2) — Bilingual requirements addressed, proper language tagging
- Structure (weight: 1) — Descriptive headings, scannable layout, front-loaded
- Consistency (weight: 1) — Terminology consistent throughout
Quality gate: Minimum score: 75.
Upload EU Web Accessibility Directive requirements, your organisation's style guide, and Official Languages Act obligations into a Knowledge Base.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which organisations must comply with the EU Web Accessibility Directive?
All public sector bodies as defined in the Directive — government departments, local authorities, semi-state bodies, public hospitals, educational institutions, and bodies governed by public law. Some exemptions exist (public service broadcasters, certain school and kindergarten websites), but the scope is broad.
What is an accessibility statement?
Every public sector website must publish an accessibility statement that: declares the level of WCAG conformance, lists any known non-conformance with specific WCAG criteria, explains what content is not accessible and why, provides a mechanism for users to report accessibility issues, and includes a link to the enforcement procedure. The statement must follow the format prescribed in the implementing regulation.
Do private companies need to comply?
The EU Web Accessibility Directive applies to public sector bodies. However, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which applies from June 2025, extends accessibility requirements to private sector products and services including e-commerce, banking, transport, telecommunications, and e-books. Irish businesses in these sectors should prepare for EAA compliance.
How much content needs to be in Irish?
The Official Languages Act doesn't require all content in Irish. However, certain publications must be bilingual (published simultaneously in English and Irish). At least 20% of advertising expenditure must be on Irish language or bilingual advertising. The specific obligations depend on the type of public body and its location. Bodies in Gaeltacht areas have additional obligations.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
For web accessibility: the NDA monitors compliance and reports findings. Individuals can complain to the Ombudsman. The Directive doesn't specify fines, but non-compliance findings are published. For Irish language: An Coimisinéir Teanga investigates complaints and publishes findings. Non-compliance can result in formal recommendations and reputational damage.
How do we make PDFs accessible?
Tagged PDFs with proper reading order, heading structure, alt text for images, table headers, bookmarks for navigation, and specified document language. Avoid publishing scanned images as PDFs. Where possible, provide content in HTML (inherently more accessible) as well as PDF. Use accessibility checking tools in PDF creation software (Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word's accessibility checker before exporting).
Can we use machine translation for Irish language content?
Machine translation has improved but is not sufficient for publication-quality Irish. Always have machine-translated content reviewed and edited by a competent Irish speaker. Poor-quality Irish is worse than no Irish — it signals disrespect for the language and fails to meet the quality standards expected by the Language Commissioner.
Key Takeaways
- Irish public bodies must meet three overlapping content standards: EU Web Accessibility Directive (WCAG 2.1 AA), plain language, and Official Languages Act (Irish language obligations).
- The European Accessibility Act extends requirements to the private sector from June 2025 — e-commerce, banking, transport, and telecommunications businesses must prepare.
- Every public sector website needs an accessibility statement that lists known issues, provides a feedback mechanism, and follows the prescribed format.
- Document accessibility (PDFs) is the biggest compliance gap — most government PDFs are not tagged for screen readers. Prioritise HTML alternatives and tagged PDFs.
- Plain language is essential — target Grade 8-9 reading level, replace bureaucratic jargon, use active voice, and front-load key information.
- Irish language content must be quality-reviewed by a competent speaker — machine translation alone is insufficient. Bilingual publications must be published simultaneously.
- Common failures include missing accessibility statements, untagged PDFs, bureaucratic language, Irish language compliance gaps, and form accessibility issues.
- AI-assisted review can check reading level, plain language, heading structure, and link text quality, but cannot verify Irish language accuracy or technical WCAG compliance.
This article provides general information about Irish content accessibility and plain language standards and is not legal advice. Always consult the NDA for accessibility guidance, An Coimisinéir Teanga for Irish language obligations, and seek qualified advice for your specific situation.