Galway group plans anti-war protests

The Galway Alliance Against War has planned a series of vigils for this week in the event of a US-led war against Iraq.

The alliance has requested people to stop work for 10 minutes at noon on the day following an attack.

It is also planning a vigil for peace in Shop Street, Galway, at 6 p.m. on the evening of an attack.

Next Saturday, the alliance is to host a protest in Galway city-centre, starting at 1 p.m.

Last week, the alliance called on the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuiv, who is also a TD for Galway West, to defend Irish neutrality, "as he had done in the past", and take a public stand on the threatened war against Iraq.

The Minister, who was in Johannesburg for St Patrick's Day, responded to the alliance's call by stating that he had no intention of "pre-empting decisions or situations which may or may not arise".

He said: "The Government's position regarding the possibility of war in Iraq has not changed. The Taoiseach recently made the political imperative of a second UN resolution quite clear."