Rugby World Cup 2023 Act 2017

An Act to enable the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to support the bid to host the Rugby World Cup on the territory of the island of Ireland in 2023 and, if the bid is successful, the staging of the tournament, and to provide for related matters.

[13th July, 2017]

Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:

1. Definitions

1. In this Act—

“bid to host the tournament” means the bid to host the tournament on the territory of the island of Ireland;

“bidding process” means the process of making a bid to host the tournament and any proposal to purchase any commercial rights relating to the tournament;

“commercial rights” means those commercial rights (including hospitality, licensing and sponsorship) belonging to Rugby World Cup Limited that it holds in respect of the tournament;

“Minister” means Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport;

“Rugby World Cup Limited” means the company incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man and having its principal place of business at 8-10 Pembroke Street, in the city of Dublin (company number 043750C);

“tournament” means Rugby World Cup 2023;

“tournament budget” means any expenditure projected to be incurred or actually incurred by the tournament company staging the tournament;

“tournament company” means a company referred to in section 2.

2. Tournament company

2. If the bid to host the tournament is successful, the Minister may, subject to such conditions as he or she sees fit, and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance, do any of the following in relation to a company formed and registered under the Companies Act 2014 to stage the tournament:

• (a) acquire, hold and dispose of shares or other interests in that company;

• (b) enter into any shareholders’ agreement or any similar agreement;

• (c) become a member of the company.

3. Financial support by Minister

3. The Minister may, for the purposes of the staging of the tournament, subject to such conditions as he or she sees fit, and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance—

• (a) provide financial support in respect of the tournament budget (including any guarantee of that budget) to a tournament company,

• (b) advance funds (including loans) to a tournament company for the purposes of staging the tournament, and

• (c) subject to section 4, provide support to a person in respect of any proposal by that person to purchase any commercial rights.

4. Commercial rights - purchase by Minister

4. If the bid to host the tournament is successful, the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance, purchase any commercial rights and dispose of them, in such manner as he or she sees fit.

5. Payment of tournament fee

5. The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance, pay to Rugby World Cup Limited the fee for the exclusive right of the territory of the island of Ireland to be the host territory of the tournament.

6. Undertakings in staging tournament

6. The Minister may, with the consent of the Government, provide undertakings to Rugby World Cup Limited in relation to the staging of the tournament in the State (including but not limited to matters such as the provision of security in the State during the tournament, the assistance and facilitation of participants in the tournament, public infrastructure, services and human resources for the purposes of the tournament).

7. Report of Minister

7. If the bid to host the tournament is successful, the Minister shall, during each period of 6 months thereafter until the conclusion of the tournament, report on preparation for and the staging of the tournament to the committee appointed by either House of the Oireachtas or jointly by both Houses to examine matters and make recommendations in relation to tourism and sport.

8. Expenses of Minister

8. The expenses incurred by the Minister in the administration of this Act shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, be paid out of moneys provided for by the Oireachtas.

9. Short title and commencement

9. (1) This Act may be cited as the Rugby World Cup 2023 Act 2017.

• (2) This Act comes into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by order or orders generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so appointed for different purposes and different provisions.