Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan tonight highlighted the possibility of joining an Irish-Scottish bid to stage the 2008 European soccer championships.
The prospect of a united Scotland-Ireland attempt to host the tournament was assessed at a meeting in Dublin this week involving the two countries' football associations' officials and Irish government representatives.
And tonight, following a meeting with the Taoiseach Mr Bertie Ahern and the SDLP, Mr Durkan said: "Obviously in terms of the development of that, given that Northern Ireland has key links with the south, and given that Northern Ireland also has very strong links with Scotland, there is absolutely no reason why Northern Ireland could not be supportive of, and part of that particular effort.
"Obviously, it is a question of what appropriate facilities would exist in stadium terms.
"But there is no reason why Northern Ireland should not lend its support and involvement to any such bid."
Mr Durkan commented after hour-long talks on Northern Ireland developments today with Mr Ahern at the head of a three-strong delegation of his party.
The SDLP chief said the meeting was the latest in a series staged between the SDLP and the British and Irish heads of government.
The agenda for today's meeting - which also involved the Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Brian Cowen, was topped by a review of how the Northern Ireland institutions were working and an assessment of SDLP plans to improve aspects of the on-going implementation of the Belfast agreement.
Mr Durkan said he had also briefed the government on the way the Northern executive was dealing with a number of issues, including cross-community affairs.
Policing issues - and what Mr Durkan called "the serious issues" raised by the report of Northern Ireland Ombudsman Ms Nuala O'Loan on continuing investigations of the 1998 Real IRA bombing outrage - also featured in the talks.