The Distribution of Personal Wealth in Ireland—A Comment

Precis: This paper focuses attention o n t w o aspects o f P. M . Lyons ' w o r k o n the dis t r ibut ion o f personal weal th i n Ireland. First, using a statistical procedure devised f r o m some w e l l k n o w n results, the va l id i ty o f his assumption that i n 1966 nearly twoth i rds o f the Ir ish adult popula t ion o w n e d no weal th is examined. Serious doubt is cast on the assumption and, hence, o n his estimate o f the Ir ish d is t r ibut ion o f weal th . A n alternative assumption is therefore suggested and a new weal th dis t r ibut ion estimated. Being derived f r o m Lyons ' o w n data w h i c h have already been heavily criticised, no special c la im to accuracy is made for the new estimate. This is no t so much the fault o f Lyons as o f the Authori t ies for the grossly inadequate situation w i t h regard t o official data on weal th i n Ireland. Secondly, and quite apart f r o m the previous issue, Lyons ' comparison o f the dis t r ibut ion o f wea l th i n Ireland w i t h that i n the U n i t e d K i n g d o m is examined cr i t ical ly , and n e w comparisons are presented w h i c h suggest that w h i l e the dis t r ibut ion o f weal th i n Ireland may w e l l be more inequitable than that i n the U K , the difference is no t nearly so great as Lyons ' w o r k suggests.