Accessibility Statement

1. Introduction

Carlow District Credit Union Limited is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023.

This Accessibility Statement applies to:

• our public website: www.carlowcreditunion.ie

This website is designed to comply with the technical standard for websites and mobile apps, EN 301 549 v.3.2.1. This closely follows level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 (WCAG).

2. Compliance Status

Based on our latest assessment, this website is:

Partially compliant with technical standard EN 301 549 v.3.2.1 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2 level AA. See the ‘Non-Accessible Content’ section for more details.

Carlow Credit Union is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability.

We are currently working with Vially and Vision Ireland to ensure we meet accessibility standards. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and adhering to the required accessibility standards.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

3. Non-accessible Content

Despite our best efforts to ensure the accessibility of this website, we are aware of accessibility issues which we are working to fix.

Below is a description of known limitations and potential solutions.

Please contact us if you encounter an issue not listed below.

Known limitations for this website:

• Keyboard/screen reader navigation – is not yet accessible on parts of the website.
• Images – some parts of this website use images that have incomplete alt text. We are currently working through images to add descriptive alt text.
• Forms – we are currently working through forms to add accessible error validation, labelling and focus.
• Link and button text – we are working to remove links named ‘click here’ and ‘find out more’ where possible and give all links and buttons clear and descriptive labels.
• Correctly structured content with good heading usage – most of the pages on this website use correctly structured headings, but there are some pages that are still being worked on.
• Colour contrast – some pages on this website contain text that has a low contrast ratio against the page background, making it difficult to read. We are adjusting the colour contrast of all text, elements and backgrounds in order to improve readability.
• Document accessibility – is not fully implemented. Some of our documents may have issues with correct heading structures and keyboard/screen reader navigation. 

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

The Statement is based on manual accessibility testing, using multiple platforms;

• Windows (JAWS, NVDA),
• Mac (VoiceOver),
• iOS (VoiceOver) and Android (TalkBack) and their native accessibility tools.

A detailed issue log was created to measure against WCAG 2.2 standards. These issues were presented to the development team who are amending these issues and bringing the website in to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.

Last comprehensive review / audit: 14/08/2026

Testing carried out by: Vially

9. Compatibility with Browsers and Assistive Technology

This website is designed to be compatible with the following most used assistive technologies:

• The latest version of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari browsers;
• In combination with the latest versions of NVDA, VoiceOver and TalkBack.

10. Technical Specifications

The accessibility of this website relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

• HTML
• WAI-ARIA
• CSS
• JavaScript

11. 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 2.2 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.

12. Statement Preparation and Review

This statement was prepared on 31/03/2026 and last reviewed by Vially on 14/08/2026.

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: 03 September 2026.