Fallen businessman Sean Quinn has condemned the attack on an executive at his former empire as “barbaric” – and says his family fears being blamed for it.
As battered victim Kevin Lunney faces a long road to recovery, a board member at Quinn Industrial Holdings claimed the savage assault was carried out by people “contracted and paid to do it.
Mr Lunney, chief operating officer at QIH, was attacked as he drove home in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh, at about 6.40pm on Tuesday.
Mr Quinn, who has no role in his old business empire, said on Thursday: “My reaction would be the same as anyone else’s. It would be a sense of outrage.”
He told local radio station Northern Sound: “It would appear to me to be a fairly barbaric attack.”
Mr Quinn said members of his family are also outraged, and expressed concern they will be blamed for the vile assault, which is under investigation by the PSNI and the Garda.
He added: “My family have said we’re going to take the flak for this and we are being blamed for this.”
Father-of-six Mr Lunney, 50, was forced from car and seriously assaulted before being dumped in Drumcoughill, Cornafean, Co Cavan.
His vehicle was found ablaze near the house at around 7pm, and he was found by locals at around 9pm before being brought to Cavan General Hospital after suffering severe facial injuries and a broken leg.
It was not the first time Mr Lunney has been attacked, nor is it the first time other key employees have subject to assault, arson and intimidation.
Since 2011, when the Quinn Group was placed in receivership, there have been more than 100 incidents.
Yesterday a board member at QIH claimed the attack on Mr Lunney was carried out by people “contracted to do it and paid to do it”.
John McCarten told Today with Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio 1 any condemnation of the attack by Mr Quinn is of little comfort at this stage.
He said: “What we need is not only those who actually and directly perpetrate these crimes to be brought to heel, but whoever is instigating, procuring and paying for them also to be brought to heel.”
Meanwhile, Tanaiste Simon Coveney has said there is an obligation on people living in the area to come forward with information.
He told the Dail: “There are many people who know who these people are and know who is behind the brutality, intimidation and total lawlessness in terms of what happened.”
