Accumulated profits dip at Jamie Heaslip’s Sabra firm

Accumulated profits at the firm owned by former Irish rugby captain Jamie Heaslip last year slipped below the €70,000 mark.

In 2014, the IRFU broke its pay structure to keep the Leinster No 8 in Ireland after he signed a deal believed to be worth more than €1.5m over three years.

New figures just lodged with the Companies Office show that accumulated profits at Mr Heaslip’s Sabra Management Ltd decreased slightly from €70,613 to €69,186 in the year to the end of June 2015.

The cash pile dropped from €15,301 to €11,502. The firm also has investments valued at €76,430.

Mr Heaslip has extended his business interests in recent years.

He already had a share in the expanding Jo’Burger company, which includes Dublin restaurants Crackbird and Skinflint, before opening The Bridge 1859 in Ballsbridge two years ago, — only a short distance from Aviva Stadium — with Ireland and Leinster rugby stars Rob and Dave Kearney and Sean O’Brien.

The pub — formerly called Bellamy’s — was acquired by Noel Anderson, who also owns The Grafton Lounge in the capital. The four rugby stars have a minority shareholding in the venture.

Mr Heaslip also has an 18% stake in LD Lovin Dublin Ltd, which was also established in 2014.

Upon retiring, Mr Heaslip will be able to avail of the Government’s scheme for retired sports stars that allows them to claim back a 40% tax deduction on their gross earnings from sports activity over a 10-year period.

That includes wages and match bonuses, but not sponsorship money, payments for writing media columns, or fees for appearing in advertisements.

The scheme costs the Government €300,000 per annum to operate.