The Irish Anti-War Movement says sending Irish troops to relieve and allow French soldiers to fight in Syria, compromises our neutrality.

The group joined in a solidarity demonstration in Dublin today organised by United Against Racism, whose members are concerned about a backlash against Syrian refugees following recent terror attacks in Paris and Mali.

During the week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said consider sending Irish soldiers to replace French forces on peace-keeping duties Mali and Lebanon should a request be made.

His comments followed an EU summit at which French Minister of Defence Jean Yves Le Drian invoked the Mutual Defence Clause of the Lisbon Treaty to unanimous support.

France has responded to last week's terror attacks in Paris with airstrikes against IS in Syria, as well as increasing military presence domestically.

Jim Roche from the Irish Anti-War Movement, says sending members of the Irish Defence Forces to relieve French soldiers who are going on to fight in a war, calls our neutrality into question:

Also taking place today was the AGM of the Peace & Neutrality Alliance. The group's chair, Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan, said ahead of the event that Irish neutrality was being "eroded" by current and previous Governments, and that Ireland should seek an opt-out clause from the European Defence Agency, similarly to Denmark.

"Irish participation and financial support for the European Defence Agency, our involvement in the Rapid Reaction Force and the continued use of Shannon airport by US warplanes involved in several conflicts combine to show that Fine Gael, Labour and Fianna Fáil have at best, a flippant attitude to neutrality," she said.