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Updated 3.15pm
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has backed Ireland’s bid to host the Rugby World Cup (RWC) in 2023.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll were in London today for Ireland’s official bid presentation.
Following the presentation, the Taoiseach visited the prime minister in 10 Downing Street, where he revealed that May has written to the Rugby World Cup organisation to state that the UK fully supports Ireland hosting the tournament.
Ireland faces tough competition from South Africa and France, the two competing candidates that also presented their bids this morning.
However, the Irish government is confident it will win out.
Varadkar was the only State leader to attend the presentations today, where he stated that he “wouldn’t have missed today for anything”.
“Ireland is a rugby crazy nation,” he declared.
Preparations for this bid have been in the works for a number of years, and in the last 18 months there has been a big push behind Ireland’s bid to host the tournament – even getting Irish actor Liam Neeson to narrate a promotional video last year.
This weekend, another promotional video was released, which has already clocked up nearly 60,000 views.
The final decision on who will host the contest will be made on 15 November.
Varadkar, who has been working on the Ireland bid for more than four years now, said it is a “big ambition” to host the tournament, and he is “confident of success”.
He told the officials that Ireland had the infrastructure to host such a tournament, adding that the “business case adds up for the economy and the Irish taxpayer”.
The Taoiseach said such an all-island competition would “bring people together”, and highlighted that there were plans to tap into the Irish diaspora if Ireland is successful in winning the bid.
He said he was “very happy” to get to this point, stating:
I hope we can get good news in a few weeks.
In order to pitch the bid, emergency legislation had to be passed to allow the government to commit the €320 million it would cost to host the Rugby World Cup.
Originally, it was understood that no new law was needed, however, the former attorney general Máire Whelan changed her mind.
It’s understood that officials believe Ireland is in with a good chance, with Sports Minister Shane Ross stating that an all-Ireland strategy to hosting the competition does not appear to pose any “political difficulties”.
Ross also confirmed all Irish rugby matches will be free-to-air if Ireland wins the RWC 2023 bid.
Some critics argue the costs of hosting the competition will be too great. However, Ross said he expects the economy will make money.
Cancellation insurance
The minister said they are prepared for all eventualities and have even taken out cancellation insurance which covers things like terrorist attacks and acts of God which could lead to cancellation.
The insurance policy does not cover eventualities like a big team being knocked out very early. Ross has acknowledged there are certain things that the government cannot guard against.
“The danger of the figures not being as good as in past World Cups is always there but is very small. In comparison with the World Cup hosted in the United Kingdom, for example, we expect to get a huge number of British visitors. That obviously did not apply in the British case because they were already there. The British fans are the best travellers of the lot,” Ross told a recent Oireachtas committee.
Hotel accommodation
In terms of whether Ireland could accommodate such an influx of people, he said:
“This remains something of an unknown because we do not know where we are going to be in 2023. We have looked at this crisis, which is a difficulty at the moment, particularly in Dublin. The tournament will take place in Ireland’s shoulder season of September and October.
“This is really good time to host it, not just for tourism and sports tourism, but also because there will not be the same critical pressure on hotel beds that there would be in mid-summer. We estimate that we will need 2.7 million bed nights for tourism and we have 12.2 million beds over this period,” he said, adding he expected capacity in Dublin to rise by 6,000 additional beds by 2020.
Brexit talks
Following the pitch for Ireland to host the world cup, the Taoiseach met with the UK Prime Minister Theresa May.
Top on the agenda for discussion was Brexit.
The pair last spoke to each other on Friday morning, ahead of May’s speech on Britain’s plan to leave the EU. It’s understood the prime minister was anxious to speak to Varadkar and outline her key points ahead of delivering her speech in Florence.
The Taoiseach restated his cautious welcome for elements of the speech, stating that it is too early to say whether Britain has made sufficient progress in Brexit talks.
“I have always encouraged the British government to be more specific about how they see the future relationship between Britain and Ireland,” he said, adding that May’s specific mention about there being no physical infrastructure on the border was to be welcomed.
“To me that is very important. It is a little bit more than saying that you don’t want a border of the past or a hard border. It is saying that there will be no physical infrastructure. It is a very strong statement in my view,” he said.
Varadkar said he pointed out that the best way for this to be achieve is for Britain to remain in the Customs Union and the Single Market “in some form”.
The Taoiseach emphasised that Ireland will continue to negotiate as part of the EU27 remaining member States, represented by Michel Barnier and his task force.
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This would be an amazing achievement if decision goes our way in the 15th of November.
I’ve had the pleasure of attending the last 2 RWCs and they a large windfall with them everywhere not just the capital cities.
Fingers crossed.
@Shane Dunne: we’d be lucky to break even. It’s going to cost in the region of €320m to host as not only will we be paying €130 just to get it, we’ll also be paying to upgrade the stadiums.
@Chicken George:
If the finances are there or there bouts then surely it is worth doing as we would get upgraded stadia, a good time for all involved and all the tertiary economic benefits.
@Chicken George: sure not a bother hotel rooms will cost that and the VAT on that will cover governmental costs
@Shane Cormican: that’s the theory alright but unfortunately in Ireland as usual the people slapping each other on the back if we win the bid won’t be the ones picking up the tab if it goes wrong.
@Shane Dunne: positive comment in the Journo, Shane, fair play but you will find you’re swimming against a stream of negativity ,from loony left and the shinners
Waiting for the inevitable: Ireland has to give games to Cardiff.
@Chicken George: Great attitude, George.
@Chicken George: upgraded sports stadiums will not be a bad thing.
@Chicken George: The upgrades to the stadia in NI will be paid for by the UK government and the upgrades in Ireland are mostly to GAA stadia which were planned upgrades anyway. The host nation gets to keep ticket sales so you can set prices however you wish on order to meet costs. It is unlikely it would be anything other than a decent profit for the country and the IRFU.
@Shane Dunne: please no. Let’s build houses not stadia that will be empty apart for a yearly event. If it’s going to make money let the irfu & the GAA borrow the money for this event. And stop robbing the Taxpayer.
@GunsGerms: so the irfu and GAA can borrow the money. No a cent of taxpayer money should be spent. Pairc ui caoimhe has been rebuilt and no rugby is being played there. Why will they change their mind for the WC? $$$ all from taxpayer
Wouldn’t it be wonderful. Fair play to all involved. Fingers Croseed.
There would be buzz in the country if we managed to get it.
@George Sturdy:
That chip on your shoulder must be very big indeed. Anti FG, anti middle class and too blinkered to see the benefit of us winning the hosting of the WC.
@George Sturdy:
No free house for you George after a comment like that.
@George Sturdy:
True words , Everyone thinks all Irish love rugby its a posh sport.
@George Sturdy: I hear that cranberry juice is great for constipation. Why don’t you try a jug.
@Nick Allen: jesus I’m sure the working class clubs of Limerick, some in the most deprived areas , (areas like Moyross and Southill)will be delighted to be elevated to “posh”.
@George Sturdy: No such thing as ‘soccer world cup’.It’s actually and officially ‘football world cup’.
@Niall O’Connor: Posh is just a word people who are either prejudiced or bitter use. The RWC would be huge for Ireland.
Varadkar getting involved in everything bar sorting out the mess the country is in. Seems happier to be in every photo op possible.
@Stephen Cahill: can we start calling him the Teflon Taoiseach the II. Nothing sticks
@Stephen Cahill: it’s crazy his party are top of the opinion polls ,what is wrong with people,can’t they see the wonder of SF and the loony left,if Murphy was minister for sport he would lead a delegation (mob) to London,surround May’s car and demand we get the world cup
The usual whingers on here dont get it , politics is a game of perceptions and communication , if you promote yourself in the correct way you get more votes and get elected . Trump succeeded by doing something similar , create a simple message and sell it to the people in the correct way and you will get votes. Leo gets this , supporting a positive initiative like the rugby world cup will get him a lot of credit from the general public . There will always be a few moaners but they would never vote for him anyway , he is appealing to a general base of support and is starting to succeed with an increase of the pools relfecting this .Thats how politics works , if you dont like it there is plenty of room on the high moral ground along with those Tds who will never be in government
The begrudgers will be first on the bandwagon
Rugby World Cup in France 2007, Soccer WC in 98 and Euros in 2016. Soccer WC in SA in 2010.
Should be no debate…give a new comer the opportunity.
We can’t afford this farce.
Yes, we can.
@Brendan Keegan: Yes we can. It makes a profit. Our stadia wI’ll improve. As will our hotels.
With the French getting the Olympics they’ll be hard to beat but you never know!
Stadia not stadiums in the presentation might help too:)
@Thomas Harrington:
Both stadia and stadiums are perfectly correct
@Thomas Harrington: Actually, the olympics works against them apparently. The RWC dont want the limelight taken away from the comp.
@Thomas Harrington:
“Stadia”,you must have gone to one of those schools.
Booty’s in the air for Fr P D O Phile.
The GAA in like a shot. Must have smelled the money.
No promotional video would be replete without a little Riverdance type insert. (is the world still falling for that s**t?)
AH look, there’s Frances ‘We’re looking into everything except Gardai corruption’ Fitzgerald.
Ireland.
The best little country in Ireland.
@Emmet Dillane: ah yes. The money that will improve grounds up and down Ireland that will benefit boys and girls of all ages. You do know the basic GAA financial model, don’t you?
@Brendan McLoughlin:
If the model doesn’t align with finding fault with it and posting nonsense then it may have slipped past Emmet, he may need an explanation as to how it works.
@Brendan McLoughlin:
‘ You do know the basic GAA financial model, don’t you?’
Yeah……stuff the cash down the back of your trousers and head to the nearest bar.
@Emmet Dillane: the model is head to the nearest GAA club. The investment in grass roots is a trademark of the GAA. Money made at the top level, be it from TV rights or take in at the gate goes to clubs. As opposed to the FAI which is up to its testes in debt and run by the village idiot. If you’re going to try and talk about an organisation, at least try and have some knowledge on it.
@Emmet Dillane: In like a shot? The IRFU approached the GAA and asked to use the stadiums. A lot of GAA people couldn’t give a toss about this. The GAA should tell the IRFU to f**k off and use their own stadiums. See how it works out for them.
@Emmet Dillane: Absolute nonsense. I could break down where the revenue goes but it’s there on line for you. Google it.
@Emmet Dillane: Emmet, would you ever consider moving to Alabama? You have all the intelligence and concerns of an inbred redneck. You can worship the flag and anthem all you want there and complain all you want about those protesting it.
Disgrace if these games will be played in GAA grounds.
Stadiums paid for by the penny’s and farthings of the long suffering Irish peasant,and maintained by hard working volunteers who never asked for a penny, while the upper echelons would not allow them to participate in athelics.
With all their assets and money the rugger stinkers won’t build any decent stadiums themselves. The elected GAA gangsters who made these deals must be booted out. The committee men will line their pockets while the volunteers who maintain these grounds will see nothing.
@Con Murphy: gaa stadiums such as croke park and pairc coaimhe both paid for by the Irish tax payer yet you want to keep it inclusive to gaa, typical.
That was a no brainer for the Leo fake image dept.
Did Leo go visit Princess Diana’s grave in a private capacity while in England?
We know that her death disturbs him more, 20 years after the fact, than the needless deaths of Irish citizens today.
The boom is back!
Hope it never happens. Apart from Brian O Driscoll the other participant promoting the Ireland bid are just pocket liners.
@Con Murphy: Eh no they are not. Dick Spring played for Ireland in rugby and Philip Brown CEO of the IRFU has done a great job improving and growing rugby in Ireland.
@GunsGerms:
Tricky Dickie of the seven pensions not a pocket liner. Give me a break.
Really hope we get it!!
Best of luck to the GAA in their bid
Somewhat farcical that the video has an incorrect spelling for Connacht!
@Aonghus Ó Ceallaigh:
Isn’t Connacht the Irish spelling for Connaught? The text in the video is written in English and refers to the 4 Provinces of Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught so it is therefore correct. Furthermore the proposed hosting of the WC is on the island of Ireland and therefore should we not respect the fact that some of the players and fans from the north do not speak Irish and may not want to?
Somewhat farcical that when we try and do something as a united island there is always someone looking to cause a problem and bring politics into it.
@Aonghus Ó Ceallaigh:
Hardly a surprise from the colonials who promote rugger in Ireland.
@Con Murphy:
What is hardly a surprise? The fact that they got the spelling correct, the fact that they are being inclusive to the people in the north or the fact that you are too narrow minded, stupid or bigoted (or maybe all three) to see this
@Nick Allen:
Brits should butt out and Brexit off.
Ireland belongs to the Irish people not some old dear in a caste who thinks she is a “queen”. Deluded and insulting, a lot like your comment actually.
Negativity alive and kicking as usual
I’d rather watch two flies racing up a wall than rugby but it would be great for Ireland to get a major sporting event. If they do get it I hope it goes better than the only other time we had a world event, the world equestrian games of 1998. We pulled out late in the day and they ended up having to go to Rome.
O DRISCOLL looks delighted to be there
So they can play in The Aviva and Croke Park and… Where?
seeing as they both have the speaking voice it will be hard to determine which one is speaking…
Again more smoke screens blown by this government to hide the real issues away from the masses.
Sure they’ll be over here protecting us from the Koreans and ISIS by then so they might as well endorse the bid!!
this was announced weeks ago
@Ken Pepper: Its happening today though.
Fcuking doomed then so
I smell a rat and it is not in the kitchen of Wheat field Prison as fakely newsed by Indo two day……
Hook will be delighted
Not a surprise considering her govt claims to own part of our country. Gangsters. Just look at all the Irish colonial tools lining up to support this nonsense.
That’s a curse that’ll probably keep it from happening.
#BritishDonaldTrump should have kept her mouth shut.
Look like mother and son…Tess looks so happy to have Leo visit….
Obviously this is a done deal already and Ireland will get this.
have your say