Increased Funding For Domestic Game For Third Consecutive Year
The Irish Rugby Football Union have allocated a further 1.2 million euro to the domestic game for the the 2016/17 season.
The additional investment of 1.2 million euro (for the 2016/17 season) follows on from an increase of €;800,000 in the budget for the 2015/16 season.
This brings the total investment in grassroots rugby to over €;10m, representing a 23% increase in domestic game budget since 2015.
IRFU Honorary Treasurer Tom Grace said: “The Union’s response to inflation in player remuneration driven by the increased revenues available to French and English clubs is to increase the player funding going forward for the provinces but more significantly to invest greater amounts into our player development pathways from the grassroots game upwards.
“In our budget for 2015/16 an additional €;3.2m was allocated to elite player development and €;800,000 to the domestic game.
“In 2016/17 we will enhance the domestic game investment by a further €;1.2m. It is the view of the Union that these investments in our game represent the most effective way forward for the Union given the financial constraints under which we operate.”