The richest 10 per cent of Irish households now hold more than five times the amount of wealth held by households in the bottom half of the net wealth distribution. Photograph: iStockThe wealthiest 10 per cent of Irish households now command almost 50 per cent of total household wealth in the State, Central Bank figures show. The rise in wealth, detailed in the Central Bank’s latest quarterly household wealth statistics, comes despite a cost-of-living squeeze and reflects, in the main, higher property values. The richest 10 per cent of households held more than five times that amount, which equated to 49.2 per cent or €709 billion of total household wealth. Housing wealth now accounts for almost 68 per cent of total net wealth and 60.6 per cent of the total assets of Irish households.

Source: The Irish Times February 26, 2026 16:52 UTC