NEWS of the Irish Tour de France route has been welcomed in the localities which will host the race.
In Co Wexford, the county manager, Mr Seamus Dooley said the fact that a stage would start in Enniscorthy would be a "huge bonus" for the county, and was particularly fitting because of the area's historical links with France since 1798.
He added that the stage would open up a new "international tourism audience" for Co Wexford, but it would also be a huge challenge for the county council, urban district councils and local gardai, who will have the task of preparing for it.
Ms Alison Begas, of Wexford Chamber of Commerce, described the event as "a huge publicity opportunity for Wexford that only comes along once every 50 years". She added: "This will be a significant way of putting Wexford on the map for 1998."
Mr John Dobbs, of Wexford Road Club, also welcomed the Tour. "Cycling in Ireland has been on a decline since Kelly and Roche were pros on the Continent. This is great for Irish sport, and will rejuvenate cycling in Co Wexford."
The chairman of Kilkenny County Council, Mr Joe Walsh, said Ireland would be making history by staging part of the Tour, "and we are thrilled to be part of that. Anything we can do to facilitate this momentous happening we will do". The race will wind its way through parts of south Kilkenny.
"It would have been brilliant had the Tour come to Kilkenny city," said the Mayor, Mr John McGuinness. "However, we realise there were only so many places it could go in the short time it will be in Ireland, and we are just delighted to be part of what should be one of the greatest sporting spectacles, ever seen in this country.
The mayor said he would meet county council officials to see if Kilkenny could explore ways of putting its own special flavour on the Tour as it passed through the county.
In Cork, the Minister of State for Tourism, Mr Toddy O'Sullivan, commented: "I expect a very definite spin off in terms of tourism. We will be able to reach out to a vast television audience of up 950 million people at no cost."
Mr O'Sullivan said the presence of the international media in Ireland during the race would highlight the country's natural beauty and would lead to increased demand abroad for holidays here.
He said: "It's a very exciting prospect and one that can only bring benefits. I regard this as a great coup for Ireland. The race is an event of world standing and we are very lucky to be able to host