Quinn’s son fears attacks could result in fatalities

THE son of former Fermanagh billionaire Sean Quinn has warned that someone will be “seriously injured or killed” in ongoing attacks against the company once owned by his family.

Sean Quinn junior was speaking out following a recent spate of incidents targeting directors of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) along the Cavan/Fermanagh border.

Last month arsonists attacked the home of Tony Lunney, a senior manager, setting light to a car owned by his daughter.

The attack followed a similar incident at the home of Dara O’Reilly, QIH’s chief financial officer.

A number of other violent incidents have taken place, including an arson attack on a tyre factory owned by another senior manager.

QIH has said that there has been a “campaign of threats and intimidation against senior management of QIH by persons who had sought the return of Sean Quinn”.

However, Mr Quinn has repeatedly condemned the attacks against the business.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter newspaper, his son claimed that relations between QIH management and the local community are at an all-time low and he warned of the potential consequences.

He said: “As the relationship deteriorates further, it appears to me that it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or killed.”

Mr Quinn said he has “no idea whatsoever” who is behind the attacks and refuted suggestions that they are being carried out by alleged supporters of his family.

He added: “The people that are carrying out these criminal acts are not doing it in the best interests of the Quinn family.”

Mr Quinn Snr made billions as the businessman behind construction firm Quinn Group, and was once considered the richest man in Ireland.

But the Quinns were ousted from their empire by the former Anglo Irish Bank after a massive gamble on the bank’s share price.

Last August, Mr Quinn Snr told a public meeting that he had been treated deplorably, insisting he was the best man to “sort out” QIH, lamenting that efforts to get his business back had been thwarted at every turn.

However, his son is optimistic that the family will be “vindicated” in their legal dispute with the Irish state. “We know we have made mistakes over the last number of years, but so have others,” he said.