French president Nicolas Sarkozy has weighed into the furore surrounding Thierry Henry's deliberate handball against the Republic of Ireland in their World Cup play-off by apologising for the striker's actions.

In one of football's most controversial and talked about matches for years, the storm surrounding Barcelona star Henry's inexplicable handball has now waded into political waters.

With the aggregate scoreline level at 1-1 after Robbie Keane had put the visitors ahead in Paris, Henry pounced on a Florent Malouda free-kick, deliberately handling the ball before squaring for defender William Gallas to head home.

The goal meant that Les Bleus won the tie 2-1 on aggregate and progressed to next summer's World Cup finals in South Africa at the expense of Giovanni Trapattoni's men, who were simply magnificent on the night.

On Thursday the Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern called on FIFA to order a replay of the controversial clash between the two nations, after Henry's cheating destroyed The Boys in Green’s dreams of qualifying for the finals.

Now French President Sarkozy, who was a spectator at the Stade de France on Wednesday night, has attempted to diffuse a potentially explosive political row by expressing his sorrow with regards to Titi's actions.

Having met the Irish Prime Minster Brian Cowen at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday, Sarkozy told assembled reporters that has apologised to the Republic of Ireland.

"I told Brian Cowen how sorry I was for them," he was quoted as saying by Goal.com.

"But don't ask me to substitute myself for the referee, or the French football authorities, or the European football authorities - leave me right where I am."

The Irish PM Cowen expressed similar musings and insisted that the debate remain out of the politically eye.

"This matter's going to be resolved by the sports organisations with responsibility for football, not in Brussels or anywhere else," he affirmed.

"Our minister of sport will write to FIFA in support of that complaint and look for a re-match."

A rematch however, has been ruled out by FIFA who have pointed to Law 5 in the Laws of the Game, which clearly states that: "The decisions of the referee regarding facts connected with play, including whether or not a goal is scored and the result of the match, are final."