IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts believes the union has regained the confidence of those involved in women's rugby after a tumultuous 12 months.
Earlier this month the IRFU launched its high performance programme for women’s 15-a-side rugby, with 29 players signing professional contracts worth up to €30,000 per season.
Those contracts saw the IRFU's investment in the women's programme rise by €2.1m per annum to €5.5m.
The landmark move came less than a year after a number of prominent figures put their names to a letter written to the government saying they had lost trust and confidence in the IRFU and its leadership after "historic failings".
Details of the IRFU’s 'Women in Rugby Report’ will be announced in the coming weeks and while Potts admits there is plenty more work to be done, he feels they are on the right track.
"I've taken a very active, personal role in that process," said Potts. "I do believe we have turned a corner significantly.
"The IRFU is totally committed to putting the structures in place to drive the women’s game on.
"The report in the weeks ahead will cover areas from pathways to inclusivity to the competition models and we are determined to put those structures in place.
"It will take time, it will take years to get this right, but if it takes years that is what it will take and we need to be patient.
"We've done a lot this year, we're putting in place a professional programme and it's not just about contracts and players. We've got to put the facilities, staffing, the meeting rooms and all that stuff in place.
"There's a huge amount of work going on. I'd like to think there's trust from what we've done this year.
"There's definitely commitment."
With the €2.1m increase in investment having not been budgeted for in previous seasons, Potts said the IRFU will have to try find "external support", but believes there is huge potential for growth in women's rugby, as evidenced by last weekend’s Rugby World Cup final in front of a record crowd at Eden Park.
He said: "Right across the world and consistent with other unions, the women’s game is an investment for the future but it is probably the largest area of growth in our game across the world, and yes we all wanted to get to a sustainable basis over the years ahead.
"The World Cup final was on Saturday, a full house in Eden Park, and I think the World Cup in 2025 in the UK will probably kick it on again.
"It definitely needs to become sustainable in time but it will take time, and in the meantime we need to invest in it as much as we can afford, which we will do.
"But in terms of salaries, yeah, of course. In pro sport if you’re generating the revenue that will impact your salaries and if you’re not there is a level of investment required, which is what we’ve done."
Having directed €6.5m of government grants into clubs during the Covid-19 pandemic, the IRFU confirmed the return to previous levels of investment in the club and schools game programmes to almost €12m in 2022/23.
However, with costs rising rapidly, Potts said they are trying to provide additional support.
"First of all, I’m a club man myself, and I absolutely admire the work that is going on in clubs all around the country and the struggles they have in terms of just keeping it going," said Potts.
"Ultimately clubs are running themselves and we’re there to support where we can.
"If I could invest more money in the club game, if we had it to invest, I’d love to do so, but we have what we have.
"In terms of the energy costs and the current issues, we are currently working with Sport Ireland and we’re hopeful that a grant is going to issue through ourselves, I think through all sports pre-Christmas, in relation to some sort of support.
"I get the challenge but volunteers right across the country rise to that challenge all the time and we’re there to support them where we can, and we have loan schemes and we run the various programmes.
"They do a good job and we’re aware of it, but we do what we can."
