The Minister of State for Sport has said he is confident there is a way forward for Irish women’s rugby after meeting with players and the IRFU yesterday.

Last week a group of ‘deeply discouraged’ current and former Irish internationals wrote to the Government warning they had 'lost all trust and confidence' in the union.

The IRFU initially criticised the letter and accused those behind it of being irresponsible and noted that two independent reviews into the women’s game are currently ongoing.

It later came out and pledged to publish the findings of both reviews in full and said it would “work tirelessly to mend and build the relationship between the Union and our players”.

Four of the players yesterday held a “positive and constructive meeting” with Minister Catherine Martin and Minister of State Jack Chambers, both of whom have responsibility for sport.

The Ireland team with IRFU President Des Kavanagh before the Ireland women's captain's run at RDS Arena in Dublin,2 11-11-2021. Image: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, Minister Chambers said he also met the IRFU and was now confident there is a way forward for the women's game.

“I was very disappointed with the IRFU statement on Monday of last week and I outlined that at the Oireachtas committee, but they did release a more conciliatory statement on Friday and I think they acknowledged the need to engage and listen,” he said.

“I think from the statement from the players yesterday and the meeting both are going to have in the early new year with the involvement of Sport Ireland, I am confident we have a way forward now.

“Around partnership and around focusing on solutions and ensuring that the issues the player have addressed will give a positive pathway for women’s rugby in Ireland and that is what I am focused on.”

He thanked the players for the “leadership and courage they have shown in the last week”.

“They had three core asks and I am optimistic now having met and having engaged with the IRFU as well that there I away forward on these issues,” he said.

“They want to see publication of the reviews and that is now going to happen.

“They want to have better engagement and dialogue with the IRFU and they are going to meeting in the early new year between the players and IRFU.

“Also, to have oversight and implementation of many of the issues in women’s rugby. We have involved Sport Ireland in that so there is engagement between Sport Ireland and the players.

“So, we need to build trust. We need to enhance that respect around the women’s game in every I do around sport, we are trying to promote female participation from grassroots right through to high performance and I am confident there is now space to make progress on the issues they outlined.”

In all, 62 former and current international signed the letter warning they had lost all trust in the IRFU.

The four representatives who met with Government yesterday - Ciara Griffin, Lindsay Peat, Claire Molloy and Cliodhna Moloney – have said they look forward to the next steps in 2022.