Hi,
Are you sure you want this done in PHP? You need something to connect to the IRC server remotely - this requires socket programming and knowledge of the IRC protocol. I have knowledge in both. I've been using IRC for a long time. However, that will require a larger bid. Do you connect to their IRC server using a regular IRC client? I can write up a script that can count the number of users in an IRC channel quite easily and have it done within the hour or less. I can write it for any IRC client available for PC (Windows and Linux), such as mIRC, XChat, etc... I also have experience with PHP, and various other programming and scripting languages.
Please reach out to me when you get a chance. I look forward to working with you on this project but I need more details on what this will entail. Do you need a bot programmed to connect to the server and count the users. That requires more work and I will have to bid higher then your budget. If all you need is an IRC Client Script written to count users in a channel, I can do that at the current bid I placed. Please let me know. Thanks!
My Resume, and full skillset as well as reviews from past clients (all of them positive), can be found on my profile. If you would like to see some examples or demos of my work, please let me know. I look forward to working with you. Thank you for taking the time to consider my bid.