Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I cannot stress enough how much I support the Bill. For Ireland to be successful in its bid for the 2023 World Cup, this Bill is of extreme importance. Ireland can only benefit in every aspect if the bid is successful. The man or woman selling hats, scarfs or head bands, the chip vans operating on the day of a game, the hotels, the bed and breakfasts, the bars, the shops and our tourist attractions will benefit if our bid is successful. The estimated revenue that this tournament could generate for Ireland is €800 million, possibly rising as high as €2 billion over the four weeks. At the very least, this would pay for a lot of cataract operations.

I was disappointed to hear my colleague Deputy Eamon Ryan, who I like, and others, criticising the Bill yesterday. Does the Deputy not want the Rugby World Cup to come to Ireland?

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