Accessibility Statement

1. Introduction

Carlow District Credit Union Limited is committed to ensuring that its services are accessible to all members, including people with disabilities. This Accessibility Statement applies to:

• our public website: www.carlowcreditunion.ie
• our online banking / member portal: https://secure.carlowcreditunion.ie/login.asp
• our mobile applications: Carlow Credit Union

Our aim is to comply with the European Accessibility Act and relevant Irish and EU accessibility requirements, including the Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services (based on WCAG 2.1), as they apply to credit unions and financial services.

2. Compliance Status

Based on our latest assessment, this website and our digital services are:

Not yet compliant with the harmonised European standard Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services, which is based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, level AA.

3. Non-accessible Content

The content listed below is not fully accessible for the following reasons:

Known issues with website or app navigation

• Some elements may not be reachable or operable using a keyboard only.
• Some form fields may not have clear labels for screen-readers.

PDFs and downloadable documents

• Some older PDF documents may not be fully tagged or accessible to screen readers.
• Some forms or statements may not meet current accessibility standards.

Colour and contrast

• Certain text or graphical elements may not meet minimum colour-contrast requirements.

Multimedia content

• Some audio or video content may not have captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions.

Third-party content

• Some content or services provided by third-party providers (e.g. mapping, embedded widgets, external portals) may not fully meet accessibility standards where we have limited control over design and code.

Carlow District Credit Union Limited is working to address these issues as part of its ongoing digital accessibility programme.

4. Disproportionate Burden

In some cases, making specific legacy content or systems fully accessible may represent a disproportionate burden due to:

• technical limitations of legacy platforms, and/or
• excessive cost relative to remaining useful life of the system.

Where this applies, we will:

• prioritise accessibility fixes for content and services that are critical to members’ access to financial services; and
• offer reasonable accommodations and alternative formats on request (see section 5).

5. Alternative Formats and Support

If you cannot access any part of our website, online banking, mobile app, or documents because of accessibility issues, please contact us and we will try to provide the information in a format that works for you, for example:

• large-print
• accessible PDF
• audio
• braille (where feasible and subject to reasonable timeframes)
• assistance in branch or by phone

You can request alternative formats or accessibility support through:

Please include:

• your name and contact details
• details of the content or service you are trying to access
• the format you require or the help you need

We will acknowledge your request and aim to respond within 3 working days.

6. Feedback and Accessibility Complaints

We welcome feedback on the accessibility of our services.

If you experience any accessibility issue, or wish to make a complaint, you can contact:

Accessibility-related complaints will be handled under our Complaints Policy. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may be able to escalate your complaint to the appropriate external body (for example, the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman), as set out in our Complaints Policy.

7. Enforcement (Ireland and EU)

If you believe that your accessibility concerns have not been adequately addressed, you may have the right to contact the relevant national authority or ombudsman as set out under Irish law implementing the European Accessibility Act and related accessibility legislation.

Information on making a complaint against a financial service provider is available from the Central Bank of Ireland and the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman.

8. Testing and Methodology

Accessibility of this website and our digital services is assessed using:

• automated testing tools (to identify common technical issues)
• manual testing (including keyboard navigation and screen-reader checks where feasible)
• internal reviews as part of website and online banking changes
• vendor testing reports for third-party platforms, where available

Last comprehensive review / audit: 26/06/2025
Testing carried out by: Internal Resources supported by third party contractors

9. Ongoing Improvements

Carlow District Credit Union Limited is committed to improving accessibility over time. Current and planned actions include:

• updating website templates and styles to better meet WCAG 2.1 AA
• replacing or remediating non-accessible PDFs and forms
• including accessibility requirements in new ICT and website procurement
• staff training on accessible content and communication

We will update this Accessibility Statement as we make significant changes or improvements.

10. Statement Preparation and Review

This statement was prepared on 31/03/2026 and last reviewed on 31/03/2026.

It will be reviewed at least annually, or sooner where:

• significant changes are made to our website, online banking, or mobile apps, or
• there are changes to applicable accessibility legislation or guidance.

Accessibility Statement last updated: 08 April 2026.