Anti-war demonstrators march through Dublin city centre

Thousands of anti-war demonstrators have gathered in Dublin city centre for a march against the Anglo-American military campaign in Iraq.

Organisers of the rally said earlier they expect at least 20,000 to attend the event. A Garda spokeswoman doubled an earlier estimate of 4,000 to 8,000. An anti-war demonstration before military action in the Gulf begun saw 100,000 take to the streets of Dublin.

Today's rally is being supported by all the Opposition parties with the exception of Fine Gael, trade unions and religious institutions.

At the start of the rally, Green Party leader Mr Trevor Sargent said the Government was using taxpayers money to fund US military overflights "as they make their way to commit murder in Iraq."

"The people of Ireland will not accept their taxes being used in any way to pay the Irish Aviation Aurthority for US military overflights," he said.

"Last year the taxpayers of Ireland paid ?1.5 million for overflights by foreign military aircraft. With the preparation for war and now reinforcements coming from the United States on their way to Iraq, this figure is escalating day by day as is the amount of innocent blood on the hands of the Irish people as a result."

Labour Party TD Mr Ruairi Quinn said the war in Iraq would "create an atmosphere of hate capable of lasting for several generations, creating a seed-bed for terrorism based on frustration and resentment of the abuse of power by the worlds sole super power."

"This war will set nations in the world against each other on the basis of religion, ethnicity, and history."

The march starts from Parnell Square, and will go through the city centre via the Dáil to Government buildings on Merrion Square.