Anger as ‘Fortune 400’ earnings top €700m

THE full scale of tax avoidance by Ireland’s super rich was revealed last night as it emerged the income of the country’s 400 biggest earners topped €700 million.

The revelation by Revenue Commissioners auditing returns for 2002 fuelled opposition anger at the loopholes in the system millionaires were exploiting.

The “fortune 400” — 43 of whom paid less than 5% in tax — each earned between €954,000 and €15,318,000, amassing a total income of €713m.