The Irish Deaf Society has expressed its dismay at the rejection by the Referendum Commission of a request to fund an Irish Sign Language version of the Nice Treaty.
The IDS claimed the Government was failing to provide accessible information to more than 40,000 Irish sign language users on the three issues to be put to referendum on June 7th.
The IDA chairman Mr Kevin Stanley, said: "How can the deaf community make a decision on June 7th if the information is inaccessible to them?" He added: "It gives them the impression that the Government overlooked these people, leaving them in the doldrums and marginalised in society."
He also claimed the United Nations Standard Rule on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disability and the Amsterdam Treaty were being infringed.