From the RTE News website this morning

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday October 01, 2002 09:24 by Barrington

A new opinion poll indicates that Irish voters are opposed to military action against Iraq, even if Saddam Hussein's regime fails to comply with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections.

A new opinion poll indicates that Irish voters are opposed to military action against Iraq, even if Saddam Hussein's regime fails to comply with United Nations resolutions on weapons inspections.

In the MRBI survey for the Irish Times, 59 per cent of respondents said Ireland should vote against the authorisation of the use of force in the UN Security Council.

29 per cent were in favour, with 12 per cent having no opinion.

More than two-thirds of those questioned were opposed to military action being carried out by the United States without UN approval.

The poll shows that opposition to the authorisation of military action if Iraq fails to comply with UN resolutions is strong among supporters of all parties, in all age groups and all sectors of society.

Opposition is much stronger among women than among men with 66 per cent of women opposed and 50 per cent of men.

Responding to the poll findings, Independent Socialist, Joe Higgins, urged the Government to refuse US warplanes permission to refuel at Shannon airport and to oppose any war moves.