Understanding the English language is one of the major barriers facing immigrants trying to integrate into society according to a survey carried out on behalf of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown county council.
The research, part of the council's Anti-Racism and Diversity (ARD) plan, revealed that immigrants also face problems when seeking accommodation and employment.
It is hoped that the three-year Plan, the first of its kind in Ireland, will positively impact on the 18,000 foreign-national residents of the county by supporting them through a range of initiatives.
The plan will provide for learning and educational opportunities, specifically in the English language, and it will also provide foreign-national residents with a information pack.
Lucy Gaffney, Chair of the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR) Steering Committee said that the objectives of the plan are to break down barriers.
"If we are to live together as one community, one county or one nation - no matter our various differences - we must remove the every day barriers to integration - whether they are language, cultural misunderstandings, fear or shyness," she said.