Taoiseach leads tributes following death of businessman Ben Dunne

Renowned businessman and former Dunnes Stores boss Ben Dunne has died over the weekend at the age of 74.

It has been reported that Mr Dunne died suddenly while holidaying in Dubai. He is survived by his wife Mary and four children.

Mr Dunne was best known for being a former director of Irish supermarket chain, Dunnes Stores. In more recent years he ran a chain of gyms around the country.

Born in Cork as the youngest of six children in 1949, Mr Dunne started out working for the Dunnes Stores family business founded by his father, also named Ben, with its renowned St Bernard brand.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has led tributes to Mr Dunne.

"I was deeply saddened to hear that Ben Dunne has died.

"A constituent of mine in Castleknock and a local employer, I met Ben many times. He really was larger than life.

"Among other things, he pioneered the fitness industry in Ireland first with Westpoint and then Ben Dunne Gyms.

"He led a life less ordinary and in turn he made some mistakes in life. The best people do.

"He never allowed that to defeat him or hold him back. He touched the lives of tens of thousands who will mourn his loss," Mr Varadkar said. 

In 1981, Mr Dunne was kidnapped and held for a week by the IRA, until a £1m ransom was reportedly paid.

However, his  leadership of Dunnes Stores ended after he became embroiled in a scandal in which he was arrested for cocaine possession in the company of an escort while on a golf holiday in Florida in 1992.

His sister Margaret Heffernan then took over leadership at the firm.