The Sports Minister says the Rugby World Cup would be the biggest event Ireland could aim to host.
The Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are to make a joint bid to stage the tournament in 2023.
Leo Varadkar is outlining the plans at an International Rugby Board (IRB) conference in Dublin this afternoon.
1/2 International Rugby Board conference today. Briefing Govt colleagues in near future on possible Rugby World Cup bid.
— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) November 18, 2013
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2/2 We have the transport, we have the stadia, and The Gathering showed what we can do as a people when we rally behind a cause.
— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) November 18, 2013
Its estimated that staging the Rugby World Cup could be worth around 800 million euro to the Irish economy, with as many as 377,000 overseas visitors likely to attend.
Our News Correspondent Fergal O'Brien (@FergalTodayFM) reports:Minister Varadkar says Ireland is well placed to make the bid in 2016:
