The two wealthiest people in Ireland have more wealth than the 50% of the population at the poorest end.
Oxfam's annual wealth inequality report shows the top two wealthiest people here have a combined wealth of €15 billion.
Oxfam Ireland is calling on the Irish government to bring in a wealth tax at "graduated rates of 2%, 3% and 5% above a high threshold of €4.7 million".
The charity estimates that this would raise This would raise €8.2 billion annually.
Oxfam is also highlighting what they describe as low levels of tax that some of the world's richest people are paying.
"Jeff Bezos, one of the world’s wealthiest men, paid a ‘true tax rate’ of just 1% from 2014 to 2018. Aber Christine, a market trader in Northern Uganda who sells rice, flour and soya, makes $80 a month in profit. She pays a tax rate of 40%."
BREAKING: Richest 1% bag nearly twice as much wealth as the rest of the world put together since 2020.
“Just 2 years in, this decade is shaping up to be the best yet for billionaires —a roaring ‘20s boom for the world’s richest.” @Gabucher
👉 https://t.co/YExI35Qtq8 #wef23 pic.twitter.com/vwXTUfDyew— Oxfam International Media Team (@newsfromoxfam) January 16, 2023
The figures have been released as global business leaders and politicians meet in Switzerland this week for the World Economic Forum in Davos.
