Irish sign language is not officially recognised by the Government even though up to 40,000 deaf people use it to communicate, according to the Irish Deaf Society.
The group is launching a campaign this week aimed at promoting awareness of the language and the need for it to be recognised by the State.
Written material and spoken communication using Irish sign language are often unavailable to deaf people for whom English is often their second or third language, it says.
Hundreds of deaf people marched through Dublin yesterday as part of an "identity and pride" celebration of Irish sign language.
A number of other awareness-raising events will take place this week, including exhibitions, lectures and film presentations.
"For the deaf community, official recognition of Irish sign language has been an issue of huge cultural and human rights significance. A formal proposal for the official recognition of Irish sign language has been submitted to the Government," according to an Irish Deaf Society statement. "It is the indigenous language of Irish deaf people and of the deaf community. It has been passed down by many generations. It is a visual, spatial language with its own distinct grammar. Not only is it a language of the hands, but also of the face and body."
It says official recognition of the language would help improve access to employment, health services and the media. It would also make it easier for deaf people using the justice system, for example in making a statement to the Garda.
