Vol. 395 No. 4
58 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in his role as President of the Council of Foreign Ministers, he has been in contact with the British Minister for Sport in connection with the current visit of a British cricket team to South Africa; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Sporting contacts with South Africa are not covered by the existing European Community package of measures relating to South Africa. I note that the British Minister of Sport expressed strong opposition to the tour of South Africa by the "rebel" cricket team. In these circumstances there was no reason for me to contact the British Minister of Sport and I did not do so. The Government's opposition to sporting links with apartheid South Africa is well known and was reiterated by me last year in relation to a visit to that country by officials of the Irish Rugby Football Union.
