Voters disapprove of the use of Shannon Airport by the US military and will continue to do so with or without a new UN resolution backing a war on Iraq, an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll shows.
Some 54 per cent disapprove of the current policy of allowing planes land at Shannon. Some 36 per cent approve, with 10 per cent having no opinion.
If the UN Security Council passes a new resolution backing military action against Iraq 49 per cent would still disapprove of US planes landing, 42 per cent would approve with 9 per cent having no opinion.
Opposition to US military use of Shannon would be strongest if there is no new UN resolution. Just 21 per cent would approve, 68 per cent disapprove with 11 per cent having no opinion.
The poll was conducted last Monday and Tuesday among a national quota sample of 1,000 voters at 100 sampling points throughout all constituencies in the State.
Disapproval of the current policy is dramatically stronger among women than among men. Some 61 per cent of women oppose the current use of Shannon by US military planes, 27 per cent are in favour with 12 per cent having no opinion.
In contrast, men are almost evenly divided on the issue with 46 per cent disapproving of the policy, 45 per cent approving and 9 per cent having no opinion. Men would actually support the use of Shannon by US planes in the event of a new UN resolution backing war, with 52 per cent in favour and 42 per cent against. However, women would oppose the use of Shannon by a 54 per cent to 33 per cent margin in such circumstances.
If there is a US-led war without a new resolution, 62 per cent of men would oppose the use of Shannon, 30 per cent would support it with 8 per cent having no opinion. Again, women would oppose it by a larger margin - 74 per cent to 13 per cent, with 13 per cent having no opinion.
Voters in every age category, social group and region oppose current policy.
The only support for it is to be found among Fianna Fáil supporters, where there are 49 per cent in favour, 43 per cent against and 7 per cent with no opinion.
Opposition is strongest among Green Party supporters (79 per cent) followed by supporters of Independents (61 per cent), the PDs (59 per cent), Labour (58 per cent), Fine Gael (55 per cent) and Sinn Féin (51 per cent).