Ireland's latest multi-millionaires, Anne Heraty and her husband, Paul Carroll, have been quick off the mark to spend some of their new wealth. The couple, who floated their recruitment company, CPL, on the stock exchange last month, snapped up one of the last private homes on Merrion Square for £1.77 million at a Lisney auction on Tuesday.

They will join other new Georgians in the squares, including Tony O'Reilly, Louise Kennedy, Edward Haughey and Michael Roden, all of whom own houses in either Merrion Square or Fitzwilliam Square. It is not known yet whether the couple plan to live there, but given the planners' reluctance to allow private houses on the square to be changed to office use, it seems almost certain that it will continue as a private home. However, before anyone can live there, the husband and wife team will have to carry out massive refurbishment to the house which was home to one of Dublin's most eminent doctors for over half a century. Restoring the house could cost as much as £1 million, according to one source.

This should be no bother to the couple, who are estimated to be worth £16 million.