The Irish Cricket Union was formally dissolved and then formed afresh as a limited company on 3 February 2008, at its annual general meeting. After the tremendous success at International stage, Cricket Ireland has applied for Full Membership from the International Cricket Council. Ireland have recently won the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2008 and 2009 ICC World Cup Qualifier and qualified for 2009 World Twenty20 and 2011 Cricket World Cup. Being a full member will allow Ireland to be a permanent One Day International and eventually granting them Test status. On August 2011, Cricket Ireland announced its plans to put in place a first-class structure, which is a major achievement for the nation on their path to gaining Test status. In 2012, Cricket Ireland announced that it had found the pathway to Test status for their tremendously successful men's team by 2020. Targets include an increase in the number of people playing the game in Ireland to 50,000, reaching eighth in the world rankings and establishing a domestic first-class structure. A number of commercial deals have been secured, allowing Ireland to unveil their strategic plan to 2015 and target their ultimate ambition of securing Test status. Cricket Ireland has offered a record 23 professional contracts to players, in three categories, for 2012, a development Phil Simmons says is vital for their continued improvement. Simmons, the Ireland coach, has also agreed a two-year extension to his contract which will take him through to at least the end of Ireland's World Cup qualifying campaign late next year. Initiatives to swell participation numbers to 50,000 will include the establishment of regional academies; a Get Into Cricket scheme which will seek to attract six to 12-year-olds to take up the game in clubs and schools; a Better Clubs Initiative, which will encourage clubs to improve their facilities; and the Cricket Ireland national awards which will recognise contributions ranging from players to volunteers. In another sign of the growing popularity of cricket in Ireland, the Irish provided a record 23 national contracts for the 2012 season, which also included not only the senior and regular members of the squad, but also fringe players. The contracts, for the first time, were divided into sections: Category A, Category B, and Category C (for fringe players). In June 2017, the ICC awarded Full Membership to Ireland and Afghanistan, allowing them the opportunity to play Test matches. Vision to 2020 - Ireland a Test nation  Reflecting the rising popularity of the game in Ireland, Cricket Ireland committed to developing the grass roots of the sport over the next four years. New plans were unveiled to provide a significant boost to the domestic game with a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the game on the island and help achieve the ambitious target of 50,000 participants by 2015.