Quinn Industrial Holdings workers call for attacks to end

Workers at Quinn Industrial Holdings in County Fermanagh have held a rally calling for an end to attacks and the intimidation of the firm's management.

On Tuesday evening, company director Kevin Lunney was abducted and badly beaten by a gang of four masked men who took him over the Irish border.

There have been dozens of attacks on the business and its executives in recent years.

Irish police carried out searches on Friday over Mr Lunney's assault.

Mr Lunney was abducted from his car, near his home in Derrylin, County Fermanagh, at about 18:40 BST on Tuesday.

He was seriously assaulted before being left at the side of the road at Drumcoughill, County Cavan, some time before 21:00 BST.

Friday's police searches were in County Cavan.

Garda Ch Supt John O'Reilly said: "An Garda Síochána has committed significant local resources to an incredibly serious investigation and will continue to do so into the future, fully supported by national units, in order to bring this investigation to a successful conclusion.

"My team and I continue to support Mr Lunney and his family and work closely with the management team of Quinn Industrial Holdings [QIH]."

At Friday's rally, hundreds of workers, joined by people from the local community came together in a show of unity with Mr Lunney.

A statement signed by more than 800 staff was read on their behalf, saying they "demand an end to this reign of terror, to all intimidation and attacks on management and their properties".

It added: "We call on local politicians, the PSNI and the Gardai to allocate whatever resources are necessary to bring these perpetrators to justice and bring to an end these brutal attacks."

Also speaking on Friday, QIH director John McCartin said: "This is clearly a united community and a united workforce.

"I guess for the first time people have stood up en masse and made it known that those who attack and berate and defame and intimidate the people working in these businesses do not do so on behalf of this community or with the support of any aspect or faction within this community."

Former billionaire Sean Quinn has repeatedly condemned the string of attacks on workers involved in his former companies, including Quinn Industrial Holdings.