THE AVIVIA STADIUM could be set to host full capacity crowds for Ireland’s upcoming internationals in rugby and football, Minister for Sport Jack Chambers has revealed.
The news comes following the announcement that €65 million will be made available to the Irish sport sector this year to assist sporting bodies which have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland team host Japan, New Zealand and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in November, while the Republic of Ireland are also in action that month as they face Portugal in a World Cup qualifier at the same venue.
“I’m positive and optimistic we’ll see a further increase [in stadium capacity],” Chambers said on Newstalk’s Lunchtime Live, before cautioning that this is all yet to be confirmed in the next Government announcement about Covid-19 restrictions on 22 October.
“I think if you look at the general Covid figures and the huge positivity around the vaccination roll out, I’m positive and optimistic we’ll see that reach 100%.
“But that will be subject obviously, to a government decision in the week prior to the [22 October] and the IRFU are obviously awaiting that.
“But I’m positive and optimistic that we could see 100% spectators for the November rugby internationals and also Ireland have an important game against Portugal as well in the [World Cup] qualifiers. I know the FAI would like to maximise the attendance at that as well.
“I think we are seeing that return to some sense of a new normal and that’s important that we continue that and I’m optimistic we will see that through to the aftermath of the 22nd.
“In the aftermath of the budget and during next week we’ll be able to give that specific date and when we’ll be announcing the further easing of restrictions and the decisions around that for the 22nd.
“But as I said, when it comes to stadia I’m optimistic and positive.”
Chambers added that both the IRFU and the FAI will be given a clearer indication on capacity numbers for those fixtures at a later date.
“We’ve had a hugely successful return of spectators and the working group we had on that, we demonstrated we built confidence in the return of spectators over the last number of months and we’re seeing that now at our League of Ireland games, at our provincial rugby matches and also at our internationals as well,” he added.
“I’m hopeful we’ll be able to scale up to a full return, hopefully in the aftermath of 22 October.”
