While some Paralympic athletes are travelling from Down Under to train on Northern Ireland soil, the latest team to commit to setting up camp here are coming from just down the road.

The Republic's team has announced it will train in Northern Ireland, basing itself at the Antrim Forum in the approach to the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

Australia's Olympic boxing team recently announced that it intended to train here. There have also been visits and tours of our sporting facilities by a range of Olympic and Paralympic committees, including the Chinese gymnastics team and the Indonesian badminton squad.

Sports Minister Caral Ni Chuilin wished the competitors every success in their training: "I hope these facilities will be the springboard to Paralympic achievement and medal-winning performances at the games," she said.

She recently officially opened The Boccia World Cup, a pre-qualifying event for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, which saw 33 countries competing in the bowls-type sport at Jordanstown.

Lord Coe, chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, also welcomed the announcement.