To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there was any request to the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games from any department of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Olympic Torch to travel to Dublin in June 2012; and, if so, who is meeting the costs of that stage.

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) is in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive's Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure on all matters related to the staging of the Games, including the Olympic torch relay. The decision to take the Olympic flame to Dublin was made by LOCOG following consultation with the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland, Her Majesty's Government, the Government of the Republic of Ireland, the Olympic Council of Ireland and Dublin City Council. This decision was subject to approval from the International Olympic Committee.

The direct costs of the Olympic torch relay travelling to Dublin will be met by LOCOG's privately financed budget with the support of the three presenting partners-Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.