Westlife high life — each worth €10m

THE four members of chart-topping boy Westlife were paid more than €8.3 million over a two-year period.

New documents filed at the Companies Registration Office for Bluenet Limited, the firm that handles the band’s finances, show Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily and Kian Egan were paid €2.23m in the year to end October 2005. In previous year, the band shared remuneration of €6.15m.

Bluenet’s profits for the year was €22,390, while the amount of cash held by the company fell from €1.37m to €639,595.

A note to the accounts reveals that the company is owed €241,233 by the band. The directors’ loans outstanding figure is up from €90,959 owed in 2004.

Shane, Nicky, Mark and Kian have sold nearly 35 million albums worldwide and played to millions of fans. Their wealth is estimated at €10m each and growing.

Sligo-born Shane has invested in a housing development in Co Leitrim, as revealed by the Irish Examiner last year.