THE DIRECTOR AND Chief Operating Officer of Quinn Industrial Holdings who was brutally attacked on Tuesday evening has undergone a procedure to reset his leg.
Kevin Lunney, who was abducted in Co Fermanagh and brutally attacked before being left on the side of the road in Co Cavan, is in hospital with what the PSNI has described as “life-changing” injuries.
Lunney sustained severe injuries to his legs, torso and face in the attack.
Liam McCaffrey, CEO of QIH, said Lunney had steel pins put into his leg during a procedure in hospital in Drogheda yesterday.
Speaking to Northern Sound this morning, McCaffrey said Lunney went through “an indescribably awful ordeal” but added that he was “reasonably pleased to get that procedure out of the way because that lessened his pain”.
McCaffrey, who has been friends with Lunney for over 20 years, said Lunney is “a remarkable individual”, “very popular, very principled” and “operates to a high moral code”.
He appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
Safety issues
McCaffrey did not go into specific details but said he and other Quinn executives are taking steps to protect their safety, noting they have been for some time.
He said the ongoing threats and intimidation are “something that we’re very conscious of” but added “we can’t let something like that rule our lives entirely, you’ve got to get on with a normal life as well”.
“This is an orchestrated terror campaign against us,” McCaffrey said, adding:
We need the forces of the State, both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, to get a system in place and enforce it and ensure that those responsible are brought to book for this.
He said a larger police presence is needed in the area, and called on gardaí and the PSNI to increase cooperation in terms of cross-border criminal gangs.
McCaffrey said the attack on Lunney was carried out by “depraved individuals” with the intention of impacting the prospects of the business in terms of seeking new investment.
QIH employs over 800 people. Many staff members are expected to take apart in a march to show solidarity with Lunney this afternoon. The march will take place at 3pm in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh.
In a statement, employees said the march was to highlight “their revulsion of intimidation against the company and its senior staff”.
Anyone with information about the attack has been asked to contact the PSNI via 101, quoting reference number 1748. If someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details, they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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