Category: Irish Business

EY Ireland Launches new AI centre of excellence to supercharge AI led growth for Irish businesses

EY has today launched AI Labs – a unique AI centre of excellence – offering clients access to game changing capabilities in big data, AI, smart automation, VR/AR and advanced analytics. EY Ireland’s expanding data analytics and technology consulting team, encompassing 220 people, will run and manage AI Labs to deploy a set of advanced technology client solutions and highly specialised client services. The skills and resources provided through AI Labs will ultimately equip organisations with the resources, tools, and insights they need to drive growth and market leading innovation.

AI Labs, run in collaboration with the EY wavespace innovation centre, will introduce a host of services to clients across maturity assessment, strategy, solution deployment, business training, rapid prototyping/POC, and Solution Development/MVP. The suite of AI capabilities and services on offer will allow organisations across multiple industries and sectors to deploy these advanced technologies to optimise new growth opportunities and to solve their most complex industry challenges. AI Labs will expand EY’s existing technology consulting business across AI, automation, machine learning, and big data over the next three years.

Speaking at an event to launch the AI Labs today, Paul Pierotti, EY Ireland Partner, Data Analytics and Emerging Technology said: “AI and smart automation present endless opportunities for organisations to solve complex issues in their respective industries. By adopting these technologies and embedding them in their operational models, organisations will find themselves at the forefront of positive industry and societal change. By taking the necessary measures to adopt these technologies Irish organisations will be set on a new path of digital optimisation and success. AI Labs at EY epitomises the value we place on innovation as a firm as reflected in the ongoing expansion of our vibrant technology consulting business.”

The unique offering of AI Labs will include capabilities across natural language processing, predictive analytics, optimisation, expert systems, and advanced computer recognition. By leveraging these AI capabilities, organisations will be at the forefront of the digital economy. EY will also be able to build on its rapid prototyping capabilities, using design thinking, agile methodology, discovery sessions, and the latest technology and industry insights to solve critical business issues alongside cutting-edge AI technologies.

Frank O’Keeffe, Managing Partner, EY Ireland, commented: “The launch of AI Labs here in EY Ireland is a natural evolution of our already extensive suite of services to clients in the technology space.  I’m hugely excited about the opportunities it will unlock for our clients right across the island of Ireland. Long term sustainable success in business requires innovative thinking and access to the latest cutting-edge ideas and technologies. Through our new AI labs and our partnership with the ADAPT centre, will be able to bring the incredible potential of AI alive for our clients through bespoke workshops and demonstrations. We can’t wait to bring together the brightest minds in AI across this island to co-create game changing solutions with our clients.”

To ensure AI Labs is supported with the advanced research, skills, and insights it needs to thrive, EY will enter into a 4-year strategic collaboration with the ADAPT Centre – the world-leading Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Research Centre for AI-driven digital content technology. The collaboration will facilitate the application of advanced technology and research initiatives that address real-world industry challenges. These will consist of a portfolio of collaborative projects, initially co-funding two PhD students in 2022 but scaling to include research fellowships, targeted projects and other collaborations, including but not limited to health, transport, and utilities.

Declan McKibben, Executive Director of the ADAPT Centre added: “The ADAPT Centre brings together the best researchers in Human Centric AI across eight universities in Ireland to drive AI Adoption and Innovation here in Ireland and internationally. By building and valuing strong relationships with academic institutions, the innovation ecosystem, and businesses, we ensure that knowledge transfer can happen much more rapidly in line with the pace of innovation today. This partnership signals a new strategic approach to our engagement with EY which will nurture talent, drive innovation and turn good ideas into great solutions for tomorrow.”

The ADAPT collaboration will allow EY the opportunity to invest in research initiatives that align with its digital strategy, through creating additional research capacity and driving innovation. Research will be focused on initial use cases in data governance, customer content & engagement, intelligent supply chain and manufacturing, and sustainability.

Irish Fundraising Platform iDonate are ‘Making Giving Easier’ With Newest Offering

Ireland’s leading fundraising platform, iDonate.ie, is making the act of giving easier than ever before with the launch of their newest fundraising offering. The launch comes as the Irish owned, family run business celebrates a remarkable milestone after supporting 4,000 causes with over 1.6 million donors nationwide.

Together the fundraising platform has helped the nation raise a total of over €62 million in charitable causes across the country. During that time, iDonate provided support on a huge number of national fundraisers, including some noteworthy campaigns such as Climb With Charlie and Ray D’Arcy’s Marathon Challenge for LauraLynn.

With more than 10 years’ experience in digital fundraising, the iDonate team have applied their expertise to develop the launch of their latest offering for fundraisers – Crowdfunding Pages.

The iDonate team have brought technological innovation to the fundraising sector, advancing across many areas including contactless donation tools, virtual mapping technology and online raffle creators. Developed in conjunction with UX experts, the latest move will allow fundraisers to easily set up a Crowdfunder page on iDonate.ie in a quick, user-friendly manner.

In contrast to fundraising pages, which a supporter can set up in aid of a registered charity or organisation (e.g. a school or club), a Crowdfunding page can be set up for a more personal cause. The design and language of iDonate’s Crowdfunding pages uniquely reflects this purpose. Donations will be sent directly to the verified Crowdfunder, with quick and safe, contactless payment options available for donors. With 1% lower service fees than the leading Crowdfunding competitor, Crowdfunders can raise more with iDonate and most importantly, users are vetted and verified, so that donors can trust the Crowdfunder they are supporting.

Konftel Helps Fast-Growing Reseller Capture Conferencing Success

Conferencing specialist Konftel is forging a productive partnership with a fast-growing reseller, which has become an official supply partner – to trigger a new wave of sales success.

Exitech Digital is an innovative digital products supply and installation company based in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland, with clients across the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and England.  

General Manager, George Condell, says that after supplying Konftel products for over a year, the company is delighted to become an official partner across its entire collaboration range.

Condell stated that as a digital equipment supply and installation company it is critical to source the best equipment at an affordable price for customers.  

“After testing a range of other manufacturers with limited success and mixed feedback from clients, we were fortunate to come across Konftel and as a result we are now supplying and installing the entire range which has provided a dramatic rise in our sales success as we continue to develop this side of our business.”

He continued: “Client feedback has been very positive as the Konftel product quality is second to none. Following installations by Exitech Digital, clients consistently comment on the fantastic quality of the video and audio pickup compared to their previous solutions.”

Konftel Audio Dynamite

Konftel’s high quality ‘Bring Your Own Meeting’ video solutions where users start remote meetings via their own laptop have earned plenty of plaudits whilst its new Attach video kits for in-room PC-based locations are set to further accelerate growth.

Konftel’s support structure is’ fantastic’ too, according to Condell who concluded: “As Exitech Digital supply, install and setup the equipment while also providing training to our customers it is of utmost importance that we have reliable technical support from the manufacturer.

“In this respect Konftel have always provided a fast and responsive service which is critical when resolving client issues should they arise. Overall, Exitech Digital is delighted to be supplying Konftel products and looking forward to a bright and innovative future with the company.”

His positive comments were echoed by Konftel’s UK Sales Director, Jeff May, who commented: “We are delighted by the positive impact we are making with Exitech Digital as a powerful partnership continues to flourish. Video meetings have become the de facto standard for many organisations and Exitech Digital is forging many new business opportunities, spearheaded by our product range.”

FINAL CALL For Small Businesses Across Ireland To Win Money-Can’t-Buy Prize From Google

It’s the final countdown as the closing date for entries to Google’s You’re the Business campaign is fast approaching. Google wants to hear from SMEs across Ireland by 7 October about how using digital skills and tools has helped to enhance or to grow their business with ten of those businesses winning a truly unique, money-can’t-buy prize.

The prize package or Personal Plan includes a customised suite of digital supports from Google, expert sector and industry-specific mentoring across a range of technical areas that will help the ten SMEs – selected by a panel of established judges – to further develop their business. The selected businesses will also receive a €1,000 Google ads package each.

Entry is simple but time is ticking! To be considered one of the ten lucky businesses to receive this one-of-a-kind digital prize package, SMEs can submit a video [via the You’re the Business site] no longer than two minutes in duration detailing what their business means to them, as well as an example of how they have used digital to enhance their business. This can be anything from setting up or optimising a web presence to expanding your operations internationally.

Submissions must be uploaded here by the newly extended deadline of 7 October 2022.

John Gallagher, Head of Accelerated Growth at Google, said:

“Small Businesses are an invaluable part of Ireland’s economy employing over 1 million people across the country. We are privileged to work with many of these businesses every day and continue to be impressed by the passion and drive for growth they demonstrate. At Google we are also fortunate to see the creativity of these SMEs and how they are leveraging digital to enhance their businesses. That’s why, as part of our You’re the Business initiative, we want to help ten SMEs to further enhance these digital skills by offering a unique opportunity to receive tailored mentoring from sector experts within Google. The selected businesses will also receive a customised support package that includes €1,000 worth of Google ad funding. 

“We are hoping that as many SMEs as possible from across Ireland will log on and tell us why they’re the business – we can’t wait to hear from you!”

Launched this year, You’re the Business – a partnership between Google, Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices – focuses on supporting Irish SMEs to upskill digitally and enhance their online capabilities.

You’re the Business provides Irish SMEs with access to a series of live and on-demand training sessions, geared towards supporting companies at all stages of their digitalisation journey, including those at early stages right through to those more digitally-sophisticated businesses. The training consists of three modules that will help businesses understand how they can use digital to get online, grow online and expand internationally.

For further information on the various training modules as well as the opportunity to be awarded a customised support package, please visit: g.co/yourethebusiness

Rethink Ireland award €530,000 to 28 Social Enterprises across the country

Rethink Ireland has announced the 8 Awardees of its Social Enterprise Development Fund and 20 Awardees of its Social Enterprise Start-Up Fund at a lunch event at Airfield Estate, Dublin. These Funds aim to support and develop social enterprises across Ireland who work primarily to improve the lives of people and communities.

The Social Enterprise Development Fund (2018 – 2023) is a €4.4 million Fund created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland and funded by IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development through the Dormant Accounts Fund that aims to discover and enhance social enterprises that are already creating a social and economic impact on their communities.

To date the Social Enterprise Development Fund has helped over 500 people gain employment through 112 social enterprises and has mobilised over 16,507 volunteers.

The Social Enterprise Start-Up Fund, now in its second year, is an €800,000 Fund developed by Rethink Ireland in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund aims to support social enterprises at the startup and early stage of existence, with organisations from 10 counties throughout Ireland recognised as Awardees.

 Awardees include:

  • An Mheitheal Rothar: An Mheithal Rothar focuses on providing bicycles to those who do not have access to cycling, particularly those who are unable to participate in the Bike to Work program, while also creating an impact on the areas of employment and sustainability. Their one-of-a-kind approach combines recycling and waste reduction with delivering affordable bikes, as well as personalised information sharing and problem solutions for each user.
  • Carrickmacross Toy Library: Carrickmacross Toy Library tackles the problem of toy waste by offering a toy lending service to their local area, and offering an affordable and sustainable service to families.
  • Common Ground: Common Ground Community-Led Housing has been working in response to the housing crisis in Ireland since 2018. The project offers a win-win solution for State bodies, households and the wider community for developing a new housing sector for our country. Their replicable and internationally proven model makes housing more attainable, community-focused and sustainable, for the benefit of everyone. They offer a viable proposal for a pilot scheme in North County Wicklow which aims to be the first of its kind in Ireland and to offer a template for other groups around the country to help achieve a similar goal.

Richard Gavin, Assistant Principal at Department of Rural and Community Development stated: “Recipients of this funding and support are playing a key role in developing communities nationwide and I want to extend my congratulations to all Awardees. With their commitment and dedicated work, these enterprises are making a true social and economic impact on their local communities, while also tackling key social issues that we face today. They are inspirations for the next generation of social enterprises and we look forward to continuing to support them as they progress and develop further.”

CEO of Rethink Ireland, Deirdre Mortell commented on the Awardee announcement stating: “This year Rethink Ireland published our 6 Year Impact Report, detailing the level of progress that has been made towards developing a more sustainable and fairer Ireland by supporting social enterprises.  I’m delighted to announce that Rethink Ireland is awarding additional support and funding to 28 social enterprises who are on their journey to creating a lasting positive impact on communities across the country.

“Social enterprises are part of the social fabric  of our communities as they play a key role in developing solutions to the biggest challenges we face on a daily basis. From a toy library that offers rental toys to families to reduce waste, to a therapeutic adventure group focused on tackling youth mental health difficulties, or a heart-warming community centre that is integrating and including immigrants and refugees into Irish society through support and learning opportunities, social enterprises show a deep level of care for everyone in a community across Ireland. We are so thankful to our supporting partners and are delighted to have the opportunity to support these wonderful organisations.”

IPB Insurance Chief Executive Michael Garvey said: “Working alongside our local authority Members, our collaboration with Rethink Ireland and the Department has proven hugely successful in attracting and supporting social enterprises that are making a real difference in addressing social needs in their communities. The social enterprise sector in Ireland is going from strength to strength and is playing an increasing role in strengthening the sustainability and resilience of communities across the country. It is important that social enterprises continue to be nurtured by recognising the importance of the sector and providing assistance through financial and business supports.”

Michael Nicholson, Deputy Chief Executive of Local Authority Wicklow County Council said: ‘We would like to extend our congratulations to each Awardee on their success in receiving a Social Enterprise Fund Award from Rethink Ireland. Coming out of an extremely challenging period for Irish society, we’re delighted with this good news story for Wicklow. Social enterprises have an important role to play in guiding Ireland to become a more inclusive and equal society. Organisations like Common Ground and Rise at the Cove are leading the charge by not only creating jobs but working towards bringing about positive social change.“

For more information on each Awardee please visit https://rethinkireland.ie/our-funds/social-enterprise/

Social Enterprise Development Fund

The Social Enterprise Development Fund is a €4.4 million Fund being delivered from 2018 – 2023 and has been developed by Rethink Ireland in partnership with IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund aims to find and support social enterprises that add to the social and economic fabric of their community by way of social impact. Since the Fund began in 2018, it has supported social enterprises in each county of Ireland and has helped to enable 500 people to access employment and to mobilise 16,507 volunteers.

Awardees are:

Name County
Common Knowledge Clare
Together Razem Centre Cork
No Barriers Foundation Donegal
Books at One Dublin
KASI Kerry
Way 2 Work Dublin
An Mheitheal Rothar Galway
Generation: You Employed Meath

Social Enterprise Start up Fund

The Social Enterprise Start-up Fund is an €800,000 Fund to be delivered over two years: 2021 – 2022 and has been created by Rethink Ireland in partnership with the Department of Rural and Community Development via the Dormant Accounts Fund. The Fund seeks to support social enterprises at the startup / early stage of their life cycle and will support them to embed strong business principles and, in turn, deliver social impact, create jobs and inspire emerging, next generation Irish social enterprises.

Awardees are:

Name County
Clare Community Energy Agency Clare
KindFolk Cork
Saoirse Ethnic Hands on Deck Cork
The Dialogue Code Cork
Trauma Responsive Education Cork
Pocket Forests Dublin
Smashing Times International Centre for the Arts and Equality Dublin
The Bike Hub Dublin
The Good Summit Dublin
The Sustainable Life School Dublin
Community Retrofits Ireland Galway
New Wave Wild Project Kerry
Gorm Media Limerick
Health Hub Limerick
Carrickmacross Toy Library Monaghan
Open Food Network Monaghan
Cycle Up Roscommon
Common Ground Community-Led Housing Wicklow
Rise at the Cove Wicklow

Dublin based Magic Kite calls on VDC as it gears up for biggest summer yet

Magic Kite, one of Ireland’s leading production companies calls on VDC for extensive projects as it gears up for its biggest summer yet.

Based in Dublin, Magic Kite has grown over the years to become one of the largest audio suppliers on the island.  Along with sister company, Just Lite, it is becoming known in the business as the one stop shop for all technical aspects of a production including lighting, screens and professional audio equipment.  It now delivers productions for international touring artists, festivals and stadium concerts of all sizes – from intimate pub gigs to 50,000-head events.

As technology and customer needs evolve, Magic Kite constantly upgrades its equipment to suit the many levels and specifications that are now expected in the events world.  VDC has been instrumental in equipping Magic Kite with the kit required to ensure every installation is first rate.

Recent provision includes a fully custom designed 48-channel line system, including a 48ch split, upstage looms, satellite boxes, a variety of 24 and 12 pair Veam to Veams, upstage socapex looms, 16a and 32a cables for mains distribution, and panel work.

VDC has also helped Magic Kite carry out a complete overhaul of its on-stage monitoring cabling and sub boxes completing the transition to a standardised system for all its on-stage monitors and loudspeakers.

Steven Montgomery, senior project manager and system designer at Magic Kite Productions, commented: “Since I was introduced to Adam and Herpreet at VDC several years ago, they have been my first port of call for any cable or panel work projects.  They always go above and beyond to understand the end goal of the project, providing valuable experienced input and keep in touch every step of the way.  The quality of products from VDC really are second to none – surviving years of rigorous use and 1000s of connections with a near zero fail rate, giving us confidence and peace of mind on all our events.”

Adam Jafrabadi, VDC’s export director, said: “Steven and his team at Magic Kite pride themselves for their total commitment to the client no matter how small or large the event is – and some of the artists they support are big household names.  Their experience means they understand the market and their client expectation perfectly, which makes them very easy to work with from our perspective.  It’s a pleasure being involved in supplying audio packages to Ireland’s key events via Magic Kite.”

Lion’s Den business pitch event returns on 25th May to celebrate Afro-Irish Entrepreneurs.

Lion’s Den returns to celebrate the entrepreneurial talent of the Afro-Irish community and African diaspora.

Wood Quay Venue in Dublin will host the competition organised by the African Professional Network of Ireland (APNI).

The competition sponsors are Dublin City Council, Dogpatch Labs, META and HoaQ.

Six businesses are vying for the 2022 prize. The companies offer services in healthcare, fintech, commercial model management, fashion and food.

The public can vote until 16th May to select three finalists from the six company shortlist. The three finalists will pitch on the 25th May in front of Ireland’s tech and investment communities.

The Lion’s Den is not only a competition but a unique networking opportunity. Representatives from Enterprise Ireland and the Irish VC community will be in attendance. The pitch finale will be one of the largest events celebrating Africa Day in Ireland. Africa Day is a global event which has been running since 1963.

Against the historic background of the viking city wall dating from 1100 AD – the future game changers in Afro-Irish community get a chance to storytell about how they have built thriving businesses in the COVID era.

Lion’s Den is a platform that can contribute to building the first Irish unicorn with an Afro-Irish founder.

The shortlisted companies gain access to sponsor led workshops on brand building and expansion.

Previous winners include Wellahealth and the Jungle Food Company. Wellahealth have received seed investment from AXA Mansard (one of the largest insurers globally). Jungle Food Company are now listed with national retailer SuperValu.

Ayo Olabimtan, investment manager and president of the APNI spoke about the contest:

“It is the only business pitch competition in Ireland focused on entrepreneurs of African descent. It provides the companies access to an invaluable support network and access to capital. It is a unique springboard for growing businesses to connect with investors from the growing start up scene in Ireland.”

The public can vote for their top business until the 16th May. They can also register for their free ticket to attend the grand finale on the 25th May at the link below

https://linktr.ee/apnireland

Lion’s Den is an APNI event. APNI is a non-profit organisation with over 1,700 members connecting African and Afro-Irish professionals and business owners through webinars, workshops, competitions and mentorship schemes.

Full information is on the website

Shortlist

 

Business  Founders Mission Website
Eko Model Management Tessy Ehiguese and Dave Olu Providing diversity in the commercial model space. https://www.ekomodelmanagement.com/
La Ruche Health Rory Assandey Increasing access to essential healthcare in low-income communities. https://laruche.health/
K Pesa Leyla F Karaha Funding for women lead start-ups. https://www.linkedin.com/company/kpesa/
Surejobz App Alex Oshunloye Helping Africans find work across boundaries. https://www.surejobzapp.com
Mama Shee Edizemi Onilenla Bringing West African cuisine to Ireland’s local stores. www.mamashee.com
Umoja Linn China Soribe & Meneliswa McDonald Creating a marketplace for African fashion designers. www.umojalinn.com

 

https://www.apni.ie/

Socialising with colleagues is what employees miss most about working in offices

Auxilion, a leading provider of digitally transformative IT services and solutions, today announces the results of a survey* which reveals that the thing office workers miss most about the office is socialising and interacting with colleagues (53%).

This was followed by separation between work life and home life (40%), routine (35%), getting out of the house/apartment (34%) and the sense of team (28%).

The survey – conducted by Censuswide and involving around 1,000 office workers in Ireland – found that some 39% of office workers say the pandemic has had a negative impact on their company culture.

Wexford ranked the highest county in this regard, with 55% of office workers from this area saying the pandemic has had a negative impact on same. This was followed by Kilkenny (53%), Laois (52%), Cavan (50%) and Meath (50%).

Despite this, just over a fifth (21%) of all survey respondents would like to be in the office full time going forward. The highest demand for a return to the office was among workers from Monaghan (56%), Kerry (35%) and Louth (32%).

The study also revealed the biggest challenges for office workers when working from home. These are less separation of personal and work lives (42%), being unable to talk to colleagues face-to-face (40%), loneliness/isolation (39%), a lack of motivation (30%) and non-work distractions (30%).

To break this down generationally, Gen Z respondents say the biggest challenge when working from home is lack of motivation (44%). Meanwhile, Millennials find loneliness/isolation (40%) the most difficult aspect and Gen X say it’s being unable to chat to colleagues face-to-face (46%).

For the Boomer generation, the top challenges were non-work distractions, lack of suitable technology/equipment and loneliness/isolation (36% respectively).

Furthermore, the research found that almost a fifth (18%) of those surveyed took a career break to look after children, parents, or other dependent relatives during the pandemic. In fact, almost half (47%) of Gen Z respondents took a career break for this reason.

Niamh Cray, Head of People and Talent at Auxilion, said: “Hybrid work is still a new concept and one that many Irish companies still have to figure out in terms of best practice. Employers have to be mindful that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work, with some thriving at home and others craving a return to the office.

“Organisations need to get the balance and their approach right. While greater flexibility is a major benefit for people, businesses must ensure that this doesn’t have an impact on the ability of people to be collaborative, interactive and productive – or jeopardise work/life balance.

“Putting the practical tools and well-thought-out strategies in place to empower workers will be the way forward and will help to create the new workplace. For example, more effective communication tools might be needed or flexible start times could prove beneficial.

“Listening to people is also key and understanding their challenges, whilst helping to overcome them, will also help to rejuvenate company culture. In fact, you could say that these challenges are opportunities to make the employee experience even better than before.”

About the survey

All statistics relate to the office workers/respondents who completed this survey. The research was conducted by Censuswide between 19.01.2022 and 26.01.2022. The survey reached 1,001 Office workers in the Republic of Ireland. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles.

Digital Accessibility Index finds that 72% of leading Irish companies do not have accessible websites

Public sector bodies and private sector companies have been urged to prioritise digital accessibility, after a new report showed that 72% of leading Irish companies do not have accessible websites. The first Digital Accessibility Index for Ireland, published by IA Labs today, found that not one sector achieved a greater than 50% accessibility pass rate.

The Digital Accessibility Index analyses websites against a range of requirements set out by an EU Directive on digital accessibility which was introduced for public sector bodies in 2020. This includes ensuring that websites are navigable for people who use screen readers, fully usable for people who only use keyboards due to having reduced motor skills and adjustable colour contrast for people with low vision. Research on accessibility was carried out by IA Labs in 2021 and 2022, with comparisons drawn between the two years.

According to data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO), there are approximately 600,000 people in Ireland with a disability. Inaccessible websites and digital platforms can deny people with disabilities access to online services and products.

In the retail sector, the research found that Ireland’s top five grocery retailers were classified as inaccessible as were all ten of the country’s leading online housing and rental platforms.

Separately, only one out of the country’s 20 private hospitals analysed passed the digital accessibility audit. In terms of education, not one website passed out a sample of 28 websites of Irish universities, private and public sector schools.

IA Labs, a spin-out company from NCBI, Ireland’s national sight loss agency, was established in 2021 offering consultancy and auditing services to public and private sector companies on digital accessibility. Based in Dublin, IA Labs is a market leader in the provision of digital accessibility services.

Currently, EU Regulations on digital accessibility only cover public sector bodies. Private companies are not required by law to be digitally accessible, however, this may be extended in future to cover private companies.

In the public sector, the research found 89% of Government Departments have accessible websites, with the websites of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and the Department of Foreign Affairs currently deemed not accessible.

Looking specifically at Irish political parties, only the websites of Fianna Fáil, Labour and People Before Profit are considered to be digitally accessible for all users.

Commenting at the launch of the Digital Accessibility Index, Minister of State for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD, said, “I welcome the publication of the first Digital Accessibility Index, developed by IA Labs. This is a really important piece of work and provides a benchmark for evaluating digital accessibility and inclusion for all citizens in this country. The findings clearly highlight where compliance with the EU Directive is falling short and, importantly, demonstrates how both public and private companies need to be proactive in ensuring their websites are usable by everyone.”

Kyran O’Mahoney, Founder of IA Labs said, “The findings of the Digital Accessibility Index highlight the need for companies and public bodies to seriously consider their digital offering. No company sets out to create an inaccessible website, but our research tells us that there needs to be a greater focus on prioritising accessibility. The fact that not one of Ireland’s top five grocery retailers has an accessible website is an example of how barriers to access can be created, negatively impacting people with disabilities.”

Chris White, CEO of NCBI said, “Society is a better place when people of all abilities are able to participate in and access it. We believe digital accessibility is necessary for creating that world and that Ireland as a hub for global IT companies should be at the forefront of digital accessibility. IA Labs was established to help and support companies and public bodies achieve this goal through its unique and comprehensive offering.”

A copy of IA Labs’ Digital Accessibility Index is available to view at: https://ialabs.ie/dai/