The savage attack on the Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) chief operating officer last Tuesday night, which began right outside his home in Kinawley, marks an extreme escalation in what has been a campaign of violence and threats on management of the company in recent years. This has included physical assaults and dangerous arson attacks, one of which happened outside the window of director Dara O’Reilly’s home as he and his young family slept inside. 

In another worrying development, it is understood that during his ordeal Mr Lunney’s attackers warned him he and the other company directors “faced the bullet” if they did not resign their positions. 

An Garda Siochana have now advised the directors to install panic rooms in their homes, according to sources. The executives have also been advised not to stop their cars for anyone or any reason while on the road. 

Speaking locally at the weekend, chief executive Liam McCaffrey said while he and others had increased their personal security, they would not let it rule their lives. 

Mr McCaffrey said the campaign had become more focused since last autumn: “At that time we took steps to step up our security and that is something we keep under constant review and monitor as we take advice and as the threat evolves in one direction or the other. I don’t want to be more specific than that, but it is something we’re very conscious of. 

“Equally, we can’t let something like that rule or lives like that entirely. You have to get on with a normal life as well.”

Mr McCaffrey said the situation had been difficult and was “not anything close to normal business.” He then called on more action to be taken from both the PSNI and An Garda Siochana.

“Last year in November, after there was burning at Tony Lunney’s house, his daughter’s car was burned, I made a call to the security forces that if something wasn’t done there would be a loss of life as a result of this activity,” he said. 

“There was a certain amount of reaction, but not sufficient frankly to prevent what has happened subsequently. I’m not out here portioning blame for that, but this is a security situation and we need a security solution.”