The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) have confirmed that they are considering putting in a bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne says that political support for the bid would be crucial particularly as the International Rugby Board requires the host country of the Rugby World Cup to lodge a significant hosting fee.

The fee for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan was Euro115 million so the 2023 figure is expected to be higher.

"It's something that we've looked at in the past and coming back from New Zealand (from the 2011 Rugby World Cup) and seeing what they were able to do there, we said 'let's have a look at it again'," Browne told the Sunday Independent.

"So that's all we're doing: having a think about it. It's a question ultimately of whether the government wants to get involved in it or not. If they don't want to get involved in it then it doesn't happen."

The paper added that Ireland's Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar is a keen supporter of the bid as it would attract a big boost in tourism.

Ireland staged Rugby World Cup matches on a shared host basis with England in 1991 and Wales in 1999 and the reverse situation may arise where Ireland share some matches with their former partners England and Wales with Scotland perhaps also getting some matches.