The Mayor of Larne, Mr Bobby McKee, has written to the British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair and Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Paul Murphy in the hope of facilitating the Iraqi competitors after their plans to stay in the town were scrapped because of the war.
"These children have suffered enough," Mr McKee said.Competitors from all over the world are due to take part in the Special Olympics when they are staged in Dublin in June. The former South African president Mr Nelson Mandela will formally open the competition in Dublin's Croke Park stadium before a crowd of 65,000 and an international TV audience.
U2, the Corrs, singer Samantha Mumba and comedian Patrick Kielty are also expected to take part in the opening ceremony.
Special Olympics organisers have insisted that the event will go ahead despite the spread of the deadly Sars virus in the Far East. Towns and cities across the country are due to host Special Olympics athletes from around the world.
Mr McKee said he and the chief executive of Larne Borough Council had written on behalf of the Iraqi Special Olympics team to make sure that they could play their part. He also revealed that, if the team were able to travel, he would invite Mr Blair to welcome the team.
PA