Ireland’s richest are €4.1bn better off

Despite almost four years of recession, Ireland’s richest are getting even richer.

The combined total of the nation’s wealthiest people now stands at €46.7bn, up from €43.6bn in 2011, and enough to see off much of the total indebtedness of the State.

Despite a drop in wealth last year of €122m, retailer Hilary Weston and her family are Ireland’s richest residents for the fourth year running, according to the latest survey of Irish wealth by the Sunday Times.