Green Party spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr John Gormley, has accused the Taoiseach of wanting a war in Iraq and of only supporting a second UN resolution on Iraq as justification for war there.
Mr Gormley also called on the Progressive Democrats to "stand up and be counted" by joining the opposition and voting against the Government. Mr Gormley was speaking at a joint press conference of groups against war hosted by the Irish Anti-War Movement.
He also asked "where were the Robin Cooks" of the Government - a reference to the resignation from the British cabinet by Mr Robin Cook in protest at the British involvement in war in Iraq.
"Where are the Fianna Fáil backbenchers who said that a second UN resolution was necessary?" asked Mr Gormley. "Will they now resign?"
Also speaking at the press conference was SIPTU general secretary Mr Noel O'Flynn who rejected claims that jobs would be lost if Ireland were to stop US military aircraft from using Shannon Airport.
"US companies come here for the quality of the Irish workforce," said Mr O'Flynn, who agreed with Mr Gormley's assessment that US companies are attracted to Ireland because of its favourable tax regime.
Sinn Féin's spokesman on foreign affairs, Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh, said the Government was in violation of Ireland's neutrality by allowing US military aircraft to use Shannon Airport and Casement Aerodrome Baldonnel.
"It appears the Government has also been allowing the US Air Force to land at Casement Aerodrome Baldonnel. We need to establish the full extent of this Government's neutrality violations through full public disclosure, not ad-hoc information squeezed out of a secretive Government," said Mr Ó Snodaigh.
"What we need is a public audit on the state of Irish Neutrality," he said.
Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement, outlined the protests that would take place when an attack on Iraq is announced.
He said that there would be a protest at noon on the day war was announced and he called on workers nationwide to stop work for ten minutes to protest at that time. Mr Boyd Barrett also called on people to protest outside the US embassy in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, at 6 p.m. on the same day.
"By continuing these protests we will encourage more Americans to join in the growing anti-war movement there," he said. Mr Boyd Barrett added that it was the US anti-war movement that had the potential to force the Bush administration to stop war in Iraq.
There will also be protests in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Derry and Waterford on Saturday, March 22nd.