A plan to accommodate British Special Olympics team members with families around Galway has been dropped after team managers said child protection law required them to stay together.
There was an "overwhelming" response by families to the advertising campaign seeking "host families" to accommodate athletes taking part in next year's World Games in Ireland.
Galway is "host town" to the British team - the second-largest in the games - and its 261 members were to be dispersed among the volunteer homes. But the team managers asked that competitors be accommodated together to comply with British legislation aimed at protecting children from abuse. The Galway organisers have acceded to the request, and booked campus accommodation at NUI Galway, for a week in June, at an additional cost of up to €46,000.
Mr Gordon McCormack, head of the British delegation, said the request was no indictment of Ireland or Galway city. "We have established a great relationship with Galway and its committee has been wonderful," he said.
"We went to the World Games in the US eight years ago, and stayed with US families and it was a great experience. But four years ago, we couldn't stay with families because our law had changed."
Under the "host town" system, competing states are being sent to some 161 cities, towns and villages around the country during a pre-games "acclimatisation" period from June 16th. Some 7,000 athletes will then travel to Dublin to compete at various venues in the greater Dublin area. The opening ceremony takes place in Croke Park on June 21st.
The largest team, from the US, is being hosted by Belfast. A World Games spokesman said its athletes were also being accommodated in hotels, hostels and university accommodation,rather than in private homes.
