Rich-poor gap grew by over one-quarter in 2010.

THE GAP between the richest and poorest in Ireland grew by more than 25 per cent during 2010, new figures show.

A Central Statistics Office report on income and living conditions shows the average income of the top 20 per cent of earners was 5.5 times greater than those in the lowest 20 per cent.

This inequality ratio – up from 4.3 a year earlier – is the highest figure on record since this measurement was first used in 2004.