Anti-war protesters are to stage a demonstration this evening at the arrival of Britain's largest warship in Dublin.
The HMS Oceanis expected to dock in the capital for a series of informal events, including a reception for a British brewery looking to export to Ireland.
The Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) described the visit as sickening and said it made a mockery of Irish claims on neutrality.
It expects hundreds of people to turn out in protest at the visit because of the ship's role in the invasion of Iraq. The military vessel was central to the assault on southern Iraq in the first three days of the 2003 invasion.
"This is a ship that has been used to export death to Iraq and occupy an entire nation," said Richard Boyd Barret, protest organiser and IAWM chairman.
"Are we to witness the obscene spectacle of people toasting the murder and mayhem this ship has inflicted on innocent men, women and children?"
Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the visit was totally unacceptable.
"The Government's shameful invitation to the warship to come here which is in gross violation of the principle of Irish neutrality," he told the Dáil this afternoon.
Demonstrators will gather at the famine memorial near the Irish Financial Services Centre at 6pm before marching along the docks to the ship for a rally.
At least two TDs, The Green Party's John Gormley and independent Finian McGrath, are to speak at the protest, as well as a Sinn Féin representative.
Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance and Brendan Butler of NGO Peace Alliance will also address the rally.
The 22,000-tonne warship previously docked in Dublin in December 2003. It is probably best known for its involvement in Britain's accidental "invasion" of Spain in 2002, when nearly British 50 commandoes invaded Spain by mistake during an exercise.