The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen tonight denied the Government was "sitting on the fence" on the subject of war in Iraq.
Mr Cowen said an effective multilateral response was needed to deal with the situation in Iraq.
He said he was "fatigued and tired" of constant misrepresentations of the position of the Government.
"All of us had better stop playing the games of the schoolyard and realise that in the difficult situation that we are in we have to defend our own traditions and principles in a way that will be effective.
"We want effective multilateral responses to this growing problem." Mr Cowen said however that while the Government would do everything it could to find a peaceful solution, he recognised the character of the Iraqi regime and Saddam Hussein.
He said that it was important to show Saddam that the government would contemplate war if it was forced to, and that people would not be undermined by his "consistent defiance of the UN".
"We are being as clear as we can possibly be in relation to this matter," he added.
In the event of a war with or without UN sanctions Mr Cowen said the Government would outline its position before the Dail.
He also said he respected the humanitarian concerns of those marching in Dublin on Saturday. "I share their hope that we will get a peaceful resolution to this problem," he said.