Anti-war activists said yesterday that President Bush should not be welcomed to Ireland should his expected US/EU summit, due to take place during the Irish EU presidency, be hosted here.
Protesters in the Irish Anti-War Movement said Mr Bush should be met by opponents because of his "illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq which claimed the lives of up to 20,000 innocent Iraqis".
Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairman of the IAWM, said in a statement: "George Bush is war criminal and should not be welcomed by any government that calls itself democratic. Bush was directly responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent Iraqis in an invasion that was based on lies about weapons of mass destruction."
An associate in the IAWM, Mr Harry Browne, said: "Thousands will 'welcome' Bush if he dares to step foot anywhere in this country. It's a welcome neither he nor Bertie Ahern are likely to forget".