Hundreds of airline passengers cheered and applauded today as the bulk of athletes and supporters for the Special Olympic Games arrived in Ireland.

I WRITE in response to the latest “final” June 4 decision of the Department of Health and Children’s expert group on SARS and the Special Olympics to maintain its ban on Hong Kong’s disabled athletes travelling to Ireland, thus depriving them of the chance to attend what likely would be the most thrilling event in their lives.

The Government is to request visitors from countries worst affected by outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome not to travel to Ireland for next month’s Special Olympic games.