Website accessibility statement and disability access

Website statement

An Post is committed to making its Website accessible, in accordance with European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020.
This accessibility statement applies to www.anpost.com.

Compliance Status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 level AA.

An Post is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are currently working with IA Labs and NCBI 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 (WCAG2.1) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.   

Non-accessible Content

• Keyboard/Screen reader navigation is not yet accessible on parts of the website.
• Skip to content link is not yet implemented on every webpage.
• Images – we are currently working through images to add contextual alternative text.
• Forms – we are currently working on accessibility validation and error handling focus.
• Tables – we are working to create correctly labelled and accessible tables.
• Link text – we are working to remove “click here”, “read more” and any other links that do not give context. We will use a unique name when possible or an aria-label.
• Document accessibility has not yet been implemented.
• Correctly structured content with good heading usage – we are creating logical heading structures on our pages.
• Cross operating system compatibility – has not yet been implemented in every section. We are currently updating CSS for desktop and mobile.
• Charts and infographics – we are working through these to provide text alternatives.
• Mobile navigation – along with cross operating system compatibility, once CSS has been updated, we will audit for mobile navigation and ease of use for screen readers.

Preparation of this Accessibility Statement

The Statement was prepared by IA Labs where IA Labs performed a blend manual and automated accessibility audits using multiple platforms Windows (JAWS, NVDA), Mac(Voice Over), iOS (VoiceOver) and Android(TalkBack) and their native accessibility tools. A detailed issue log was created against WCAG 2.1 standards. The National Disability Authority (NDA) also provided a report from an Automated Accessibility tool highlighting some of the issues found. Both sets of issues were presented to the development team who then amended these issues and brought the website in to WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.

This statement was created by IA Labs in July 2022.
The statement was last reviewed in July 2022.

Feedback and contact Information

If you find any problems not listed on this page, contact Access.Officer@anpost.ie

Enforcement Procedure

If you are not happy with our response, or you want to raise an accessibility issue that is not related to this website, you can make a complaint via the Access.Officer@anpost.ie

Disability access

Access officer

The Disability Act, 2005 places a duty on public organisations to ensure that their public buildings and services are, as far as is practicable, accessible to people with disabilities.

Role of the access officer

The role of the Access Officer is to help An Post customers and employees with disabilities to access An Post services and information more easily.  This includes:

• Ensuring compliance with the Disability Act, 2005, and addressing barriers to access for customers and An Post staff
• Promoting accessibility best practice in communications, customer service, information technologies, buildings and procurement
• Liaison on disability matters with customers, employees, An Post business areas, statutory bodies and disability representative groups

Access Officer
An Post
GPO
O’Connell Street
Dublin 1
D01 F5P2

Direct Phone: 01 7057049
E-mail: access.officer@anpost.ie

An Post procedures for dealing with complaints under section 38 of the Disability Act, 2005

A complaint may be made against An Post if it does not comply with the provisions of Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act, 2005. These sections of the Act relate to access by persons with disabilities to:

• An Post’s public buildings; 
• An Post’s services; 
• Services supplied to An Post;  
• Information provided by An Post

Inquiry Officers under the Disability Act 2005

An Post has appointed an Inquiry Officer to investigate complaints made under section 38 of the Disability Act. The Inquiry Officer will carry out investigations in private and will produce a report which will say

• If your complaint is valid 
• Whether there has been a failure by An Post concerning your complaint

Where a failure has happened, it will outline the steps to be taken to ensure future compliance. This report will be made available to the Chief Executive Officer of An Post  and to the person who makes the complaint.

Making a complaint

In accordance with Section 39 (2) of the Disability Act, 2005 the following are the procedures for making and investigating such complaints.

1. A complaint may be made by a person, or through his or her:
   • Spouse/partner, parent or relative;
   • Guardian or a person acting in loco parentis to that person;
   • Legal representative;
   • A personal advocate, assigned by the Citizens Information Board to represent that person;
   • Or by another person advocating on behalf of that person with his or her consent.
2. A complaint must be made in writing, which can include fax or e-mail, and should provide all contact details for the person making the complaint.

3. The complaint should state that it is a complaint under Section 38 of the Disability Act 2005 and should, in so far as is possible, set out as clearly as possible the grounds for the complaint regarding the failure of An Post to provide access to its buildings or services.

4. The complaint must be made to:
   The Chief Executive Officer
   An Post
   General Post Office
   O’Connell St,
   Dublin 1
   Telephone: 01 7057000
   Fax: 01 7059305

5. Following the receipt of the complaint, the Chief Executive Officer will refer the matter to the Inquiry Officer and will advise the person making the complaint accordingly.

   Investigating a complaint

6. On receipt of the complaint referred by the Chief Executive Officer, the Inquiry Officer will acknowledge receipt to the person who made the complaint.

7. The Inquiry Officer will examine the complaint to establish if it relates to an alleged failure by An Post to comply with Sections 25, 26, 27 and 28 of the Disability Act, 2005.

8. Where the Inquiry Officer considers that the complaint is frivolous or vexatious, he or she will notify the Chief Executive Officer and the person who made the complaint to that effect. Otherwise he or she will investigate the complaint.

9. The Inquiry Officer may request further information/details from the person who made the complaint and may require that such information/details be furnished within a specified time.

10. The Inquiry Officer may consult with all parties which he or she considers appropriate regarding the matter.

11. In the course of the investigation the Inquiry Officer may undertake interviews with such persons which he or she considers appropriate, including the person who made the complaint, to elicit information.

12. The Inquiry Officer will maintain a written record of his or her investigation.

13. The Inquiry Officer will prepare a written report of the results of the investigation setting out his or her findings together with a determination in relation to:
    • Whether there has been a failure by An Post to comply with the relevant provision of the Disability Act; and
    • If such a determination indicates that there has been such a failure, the steps required to be taken by An Post to comply with the relevant provision(s) of the Act.

14. The Inquiry Officer will furnish a copy of his or her report to the person who made the complaint and to the Chief Executive Officer.

15. The furnishing of the report to the person who made the complaint and to the Chief Executive Officer concludes the investigation of the complaint.

16. The complainant will be advised of the right of appeal to the Office of the Ombudsmann who may be contacted at:
    Office of the Ombudsman, 18 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2.
    Tel: (01) 639 5600
    Fax: (01) 6395674
    Email: ombudsman@ombudsman.gov.ie

Publication of this Protocol

The An Post Complaints Procedure, as outlined above, is available to An Post customers in alternative formats, upon request.
Tel: (01) 7057049
Email: access.officer@anpost.ie