John McCartan and Liam McCaffrey RMGFH123
THREATS to workers at a former Quinn Group windfarm have been condemned , as both sides of a dispute between Sean Quinn supporters and management at Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited (QIHL) call for calm.
It is understood a cross-border investigation is underway after a threatening letter was sent to workers from energy company Vestas to “stay away” from the windfarm or “face the bullet”, and ended with the words “final warning”. The letter was accompanied by three bullets.
It is also reported that both chief executive of QIHL, Liam McCaffery, and Leitrim Cllr John McCartin, one of the directors of QIHL, have both been advised by authorities to review their personal safety. A Garda spokesperson yesterday said they could not comment on individuals or ongoing investigations, however it is believed the threats are of a general nature and are not specific.
A spokesperson from QIHL said: “Quinn Industrial Holdings Ltd is aware of recent incidents in the area. Given the ongoing investigation we are unable to make comment at this time, other than to note our sadness and continued concern.
“Management at QIHL would like to add that issues such as this will not distract us from our drive to ensure that the company continues the strong growth which we have demonstrated in the first year. Close to 100 new jobs have been created, and a significant investment plan is being implemented.
“We will continue to focus on building the company in the coming years, ensuring that local people will have much needed jobs and opportunities. We would like to thank our staff for their continued hard work and support.”
A source close to QIHL said while the negative publicity the ongoing tensions were causing was “frustrating”, hopes were high things could be resolved.
A spokesman for Concerned Irish Citizens, which was set up to support Sean Quinn and in recent times have been hitting out at the current management of QIHL through their Facebook page, condemned the violence.
“We in Concerned Irish Citizens take this opportunity to unequivocally affirm that we do not condone any acts of vandalism, trespass, intimidation or indeed anything that disrupts the safety and rights of others,” they said.
“Our objective has always been to give a forum to the hundreds of people, employees, locals, landowners and so on who contact us and whose safety and rights they feel are being infringed upon. They all point out that there was never any trouble or unrest in the four decades that Sean Quinn was in charge of the company.”
This is not the first incident of a sinister nature at former Quinn Group sites, with reports of a number serious incidents at the site over recent years, including a gun being produced to one of the security guards at the windfarm before Christmas.
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