MEXICAN telecom tycoon Carlos Slim Helú has overtaken Microsoft founder Bill Gates as the world’s richest person, Mexican financial website Sentido Comun has reported.

IRELAND has three billionaires worth a total of $5.8 billion (€4.9bn), according to the Forbes list of the world’s richest men and women.

Many of the world’s richest people saw their fortunes shrink again during the last year, but US chat show queen Oprah Winfrey’s grew enough to put her on Forbes magazine’s list of billionaires – the first black woman to join the ranks.