Former billionaire Seán Quinn has condemned death threats and “offensive, unacceptable” signs that have been erected in recent months near businesses once owned by his Quinn Group.
A local consortium called Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited (QIHL) took over the Quinn Group’s manufacturing businesses in 2014.
QIHL’s management team is led by Mr Quinn’s former deputy Liam McCaffrey and is funded by three US hedge funds.
Among the threats was a sign displaying the message “Remove the UDA + UVF off our mountain, or face the gun”, which was erected near QIHL in Derrylin. It specifically mentioned Mr McCaffrey and three QIHL directors.
Mr Quinn currently earns €500,000 a year as a senior adviser to QIHL but is attempting to regain control of the company. He is engaged in ongoing “commercial discussions” with the hedge funds to that end.
A series of attacks and vandalism on factories, homes and wind turbines in recent months has prompted investigations by the Garda and the PSNI. The hedge funds have insisted Mr Quinn actively condemn the death threats and campaign of intimidation that has been under way.
In a statement last night, Mr Quinn said the “abusive and threatening” signs were “offensive and unacceptable” and that he and his son, Seán Quinn jnr, had themselves removed a sign several months ago “within 10 minutes of becoming aware of it”.
Intimidation
QIHL condemned the messages with a spokesman this week saying it was an attempt to “intimidate an entire community and local workforce and undermine businesses”.
Mr Quinn’s statement said: “Whilst I appreciate the local community is very hurt, I believe the comments on the signs in question are totally unacceptable and I note that they have now thankfully been removed,” he said.
“My family’s view on this type of negative activity is well-known – we have repeatedly made our view clear within the local community over the past number of years, and once more, I, on behalf of the Quinn family, totally condemn any such intimidation.”
Mr Quinn lost his business empire during the financial crisis, part of which was a 54-megawatt wind farm at Slieve Rushen, Co Fermanagh. QIHL is not involved in the wind farm business.
He called on the wind farm operators to “play their part” in terms of soothing tensions in the area. “I have always criticised the intimidation,” he said. “However, I am but one voice, and I feel that other people that operate within this community should play their part also.
“The fact the wind farm in question is no longer owned by the Quinn Group or the Quinn family appears to have been entirely forgotten in the press commentary, and whilst I wholeheartedly condemn the threats, I must also express my own personal view that the current owners of the wind farm need to do more to address the unease and tension in the area.”
Constructive
He added: “When we owned the wind farm in question, we treated the local community with the respect that they are entitled to and deserve, and the local community responded in kind by returning that respect.”
Mr Quinn said discussions aimed at his reacquiring QIHL have been “constructive” but that they had been “unnecessarily hindered” by the actions of “some parties”.
“Such actions are in nobody’s interest, and they are certainly not in the interests of me or my family,” he said. “This community and QIHL need time and space to heal and I have no interest in finger pointing or negative behaviour of any kind.
“Whilst I may have differences of opinion with QIHL senior management on business matters, I am of the firm belief that those differences can be resolved...”
