IRFU confirms redundancies due to Covid-19 losses

The IRFU is set to make up to 20 non-playing staff members redundant due to losses incurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic

Wed, 07 Apr, 2021 - 10:00

The IRFU is set to make up to 20 non-playing staff members redundant due to losses incurred as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued to RTÉ Sport, the union confirmed the redundancy programme.

"Unfortunately the IRFU has had to operate a redundancy programme due to the ongoing financial constraints on the organisation due to Covid-19."

Last year IRFU CEO Philip Browne told the Irish Examiner that the IRFU was facing job losses and the scaling back of the professional game in Ireland if spectators didn't return to stadiums.

He said then: “We need to see some clear line of sight in December as to when are we going to get spectators back into our stadia at provincial level and at the Aviva Stadium in 2021 and if we don't have that then we have to take certain actions that are frankly unpalatable."

However, last month Browne warned that the IRFU wasn't planning for crowds returning this year,

"Our working assumption is that we won’t see crowds of any significant numbers in our ground until 2022. Maybe we are being prudent, but I think it is realistic. That is an informed assumption," he said.