80% of Irish people against military action in Syria without UN

A new poll shows that almost 80% of Irish people believe the Government should not support military intervention in Syria without a UN mandate.

The Red C poll, carried out on behalf of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, also shows that over three quarters of adults support Ireland's neutrality.

Almost two thirds believe Irish troops should not now be sent to Syria.

Roger Cole, Chairperson of PANA, said the poll showed that public sentiment towards neutrality is strengthening.

"Irish people fought in the national war of independence against an empire. And one of the consequences of that was that we don't want to become part of a military alliance - we don't want to get involved in other people's wars," he said.

"We're a small country - we should get a grip on what the real world is, and in the real world small countries shouldn't get involved in other people's wars."

Irish soldiers first joined UN peacekeeping operations in 1958, when 50 officers joined the UN observer group on the border of Lebanon and Israel.