asked the Taoiseach if he intends to send a formal message of good wishes to the Northern Ireland football team and officials for their success in the World Cup in Spain; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I do, of course, wish every success to the Irish Football Association and to the Northern Ireland team in the forthcoming World Cup finals.

Will the Taoiseach be sending an invitation to them to visit him or will he be going to Belfast to wish them well?

I would dearly like to go to Belfast to wish them well if a suitable opportunity presented itself. I did not turn my mind to the question of inviting them to come to see me but now that the Deputy has raised it I will consider it.

If the Republic of Ireland team were going to Spain — we all wish they were — the Taoiseach would have been making efforts to try to contact them to wish them well, he would be paying a visit to the team's headquarters.

Not necessarily.

I would imagine that that type of thinking would be invading the Taoiseach's mind. What effort is the Taoiseach making to let it be known to the Irish Football Association that he would be available to go to wish them well?

I have not done anything as yet about the matter. However, now that the Deputy has raised it, I shall consider what might be done. I readily acknowledge that I have been given very valuable advice as to how to play the game.