Car owned by daughter of former Sean Quinn manager targeted in arson

  • Published
Sean Quinn
Image caption,

Sean Quinn has repeatedly condemned attacks on his former businesses

There has been another attack on a family linked to Fermanagh man Sean Quinn's former business.

A car belonging to the daughter of a senior manager at the firm formerly owned by Mr Quinn has been set on fire outside the family home.

It is believed to be the third arson attack on property linked to Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) in the past two months.

Sean Quinn was once Ireland's richest man but was declared bankrupt in 2012.

The latest incident took place at about 23:20 local time on Tuesday at the home of QIH production director Tony Lunney in Ballyconnell, County Cavan.

Two fire crews and Gardaí (Irish police) attended the scene, preventing the fire from spreading further.

'Lives will be lost'

"It is grossly unacceptable that criminals who threaten the lives and wellbeing of staff on both sides of the border continue to operate with impunity," he said.

"It is also enormously frustrating that following years of intimidation and threats and a substantial escalation of violence over recent months that not a single arrest has been made."

Image source, Rodney Edwards/ Impartial Reporter
Image caption,

Damage to bedroom windows in the arson attack on 19 October

He said "lives would be lost" if politicians and the authorities on both sides of the border did not properly prioritise and resource the issue.

"More than 830 staff and their families and the wider community are impacted by this violence and intimidation and they are in urgent need of reassurance that this issue is being taken seriously," he added.

Gardaí said they had attended an incident of criminal damage, but that no injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing.

Sean Quinn was once the richest person in Ireland, a self-made man who started a multi-billion pound business empire by selling gravel quarried from his family's farm in Derrylin, County Fermanagh.

The Quinn Group gradually expanded, manufacturing and supplying other building products, glass and plastics, and eventually moved into insurance, hotels and property development.

His business empire collapsed after Mr Quinn made a disastrous investment in Anglo Irish Bank.

He lost control of his business empire and was declared bankrupt in 2012.

A previous campaign of attacks in 2013 and 2014 included an oil tanker being driven into the company headquarters in Derrylin and set on fire.

Image caption,

A few years ago there were frequent attacks on businesses linked to former Quinn companies

A group of businessmen backed by three investment funds bought the manufacturing businesses in December 2014.

They are run by former close associates of Mr Quinn.

After he was discharged from bankruptcy, Mr Quinn was employed as a consultant at his former company.

He left the role in May 2016 as tension grew between him and the management team.