Crime — of the fictional variety — seems to be paying off for Ireland’s best-selling children’s author Eoin Colfer, with accumulated profits at his company topping €3m last year.

Best-selling children’s author Eoin Colfer has been recruited by the South-East’s partnership of cities and towns to act as an ambassador for their bid to become the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Ireland’s best-selling children’s author, Eoin Colfer, enjoyed a boost from his major Disney movie deal last year with profits at his firm jumping by more than €155,000 to more than €1.82m.

Irish children’s book series Artemis Fowl could become the next Harry Potter as Hollywood giants Harvey Weinstein and Robert De Niro are backing a big-screen version of Eoin Colfer’s novels.