Dublin, 16 June – “Negotiations are ongoing but I am hugely encouraged by the overwhelming support for plans for the Torch Relay to travel across Ireland,” Irish Olympic Council President Patrick Hickey told Insidethegames.

The online bulletin gives the project, launched by Hickey at the beginning of the year, as on the cards.

The proposal  is due to be discussed further tomorrow with the Government in Dublin before an official request for the Torch to travel to Ireland is sent by Hickey to London 2012 and Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The Olympic Torch has never visited Ireland and Hickey considers that the Relay would be another important milestone in the peace process started in 1994.