Several student organisations from Trinity College Dublin, citing environmental issues, the interests of developing countries and workers' rights, protested against the Seattle WTO trade negotiations outside the Central Bank in Dublin yesterday.

Behind a banner urging `No to the WTO: Don't fall into the WTO trap', students distributed anti-WTO leaflets and collected signatures for a petition which will be presented, together with a letter urging Ireland to withdraw from the trade organisation, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, on Friday.

The treasurer of TCD's Environmental Society, Mr Cian O'Donovan, said the Government should take a stand and lead the developing countries away from the WTO.

He said: "The WTO puts the profits of multinationals ahead of environmental issues and previously signed agreements by governments."

The treasurer of the Socialist Workers Society, Mr Conor Kostick, said the WTO issue had united previously opposed groups such as farmers and the socialist movement. The WTO "is all about implementing the agenda of the multinationals," he added. "They want a free market which would put pressure on workers' wages and health and safety requirements."