Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First, what was said in the Seanad last Thursday about the Irish bid was disgraceful and wrong. It was an insult and disrespectful to the efforts of Kevin Potts, Philip Orr, Dick Spring, Brian O'Driscoll, Philip Browne, Páraic Duffy, the Minister, Deputy Ross and others.

Rather than dismiss the decision last week by World Rugby as an opportunity lost, there is merit in discussing it given the Government spend of over €1 million of taxpayers' money. At the end of the day, this came down to pure old horse trading and a vote between lads and blazers - which are not my words but those of rugby men on the inside track, such as Jim Glennon. Last Sunday, he set out in writing how the votes went down in the background. He named those involved, such as Gareth Davies from Wales, and set out how in the two weeks prior to the vote it was all about canvassing.

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