Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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542. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason Semple Stadium in County Tipperary was excluded from the IRFU 2023 Rugby World Cup bid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36134/16]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Irish Rugby Football Union, along with the rugby unions in France and South Africa, has made it through to the Candidate Phase of the process to select a host for the Rugby World Cup in 2023. I, as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, have no role in the matter of the provisional long list of stadia for the all-island bid. This is entirely a matter for the IRFU Bid Team and the Bid Oversight Board. I am informed that this is an initial list and, if the bid is successful, the final venue list would have to be approved by World Rugby. As in previous Rugby World Cups, this would be a number of years after the hosting rights are awarded.