Sean Quinn
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
Quinn vandalism
The campaign of terror waged by a group determined to return Sean Quinn to the head of his former company is putting the jobs of 1,150 employees at risk, the company has warned.
The owners of Aventas, which mainly comprises U.S. and U.K. hedge funds, are known to be frustrated with the slow pace of the investigation by both the PSNI and the gardai.
They believe that if the attacks are allowed to continue then foreign investors will be put off Ireland because of the lawlessness that exists along the Cavan and Fermanagh borders – which has traditionally been an IRA and smuggling stronghold.
However, garda sources say that Acting Commissioner Noirin O’Sullivan and her senior staff based in Cavan recently met with Aventas management and pledged to do more to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Gardai and the PSNI are liaising closely with each other in the investigation and hope to arrest more people in the coming months.
Aventas had a turnover of €670m last year and it is easily the biggest employer in Cavan and Fermanagh.
The company has a number of plants in Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan, and Derrylin in Co. Fermanagh, producing concrete blocks, cement, plastic packaging, glass and construction products.
And despite the claims of people who want Sean Quinn back in charge, the number employed by Aventas is the same today as when Quinn was ousted in April 2011 – in an area where other employment opportunities are very scarce.
However, an internal Aventas memo seen by the Sunday World warns that if the attacks are allowed to continue then jobs are at risk.
“For a period of almost three years now the Group has been subjected to continual arson attacks on property and equipment, sabotage, intimidation, character assassinations and flagrant and persistent attempts to damage and disrupt our relations with major customers and investors,” the memo states.
“These outrageous activities have put not only the jobs in the various plants seriously at risk, but as the level of attacks increases, there is a real fear that jobs will inevitably be lost.
“On top of that, there have been recent threats to the life of the Group CEO which are particularly serious.
“There is also a growing concern by the investors that Ireland and, in particular the Border counties, is not a place in which to invest as there is no respect for law and order.
“It is important to note that these American/U.K. investors are the same investors being courted to invest in Ireland in other sectors as well.
The memo then warns: “It does not help the case that, in all of this, over a period of almost three years, no individual has been arrested and charged in respect of any incident or act.
“It is clear what is at stake here; it is the safety and welfare of employees, it is the increasing risk of job losses, it is the potential loss to the local economy and community, it is the reputation of Ireland as a place where business can be done in an atmosphere of law and order, it is the real threat to the lives of senior management.
“It is not unreasonable to ask ‘what is the motive behind all of this?’ and ‘who stands to gain from it?’ We are asking that a police task force be applied to this situation immediately.”
The PSNI issued a statement to the Sunday World this week about its investigation into the 70 arson attacks.
They said: “There have been a number of arrests and searches of premises over the past two years in relation to persons suspected of being involved in attacks against the former Quinn Group, now known as Aventas.
“During this time the PSNI and our colleagues in An Garda Síochána have been working in close cooperation on both the operational and investigative response, as crimes have occurred on both sides of the border.
“These attacks have been reckless in the extreme and any occasion when crimes of this type occur there is always going to be a risk to the public.
“Police will continue to devote considerable effort in addressing this criminality, but this is much bigger than the PSNI. We would appeal to the local community to continue to report suspicious activity and to pass on any information they have on those involved. Whilst we understand there is a risk to people’s livelihoods there is a greater risk to life.”