Microsoft is asking the Irish Government to stand by it in a legal battle with a New York judge over the release of data in relation to a criminal case in the US.

The case concerns a US criminal warrant demanding that Microsoft hand over emails and other data that are held in a data centre in Dublin.

The tech giant has carried out a survey here which shows Irish people believe foreign governments should not be able to demand personal information that is stored in Ireland without using proper international channels agreed with the Government.

87% of the survey's respondents felt there should be equal privacy protection for digital and physical data.

89%, meanwhile, said they believed companies operating in Ireland should be subject to Irish law rather the laws of the country in which the company has its main base of operations.

Managing Director of Microsoft in Ireland Cathriona Hallahan is urging the Irish Government to stand by it in its refusal to hand over the material: