Trade bodies condemn Quinn boss assault

Two leading Northern Ireland trade bodies condemn vicious attack on Quinn Building Products’ chief operating officer 

THE Mineral Products Association Northern Ireland (MPANI) and Manufacturing NI have condemned, in the strongest terms, the kidnapping and horrific attack on Kevin Lunney (pictured), chief operating officer of Quinn Building Products.

On Tuesday evening, Mr Lunney was abducted while driving home from work before being badly beaten and left at the side of a road. The incident is understood to be the latest in a series of attacks targeting senior staff at Quinn Industrial Holdings.

In a joint statement, Gordon Best, regional director of MPANI, said: ‘The vicious attack on Kevin Lunney must be condemned by all right-thinking people. This has come as a real shock to us all.

‘Kevin is held in high regard right across the construction materials and manufacturing industry in Ireland and further afield. In fact, I met with Kevin just two weeks ago when Quinn Building Products hosted our Health and Safety Committee in Derrylin. 

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with Kevin and his family at this difficult time and we wish him a speedy recovery.’

Stephen Kelly, chief executive officer of Manufacturing NI, said: ‘Kevin and his family are very much in our thoughts and this time and I want to assure him of our best wishes.

‘This unwarranted assault on Kevin is also an attack on the 830 employees at Quinns, the whole community in and around Derrylin where the company provide so many jobs and support the local economy, and the entire manufacturing industry across Ireland.’

Mr Best and Mr Kelly added that they will be seeking a meeting with the PSNI Chief Constable, Simon Byrne, to discuss the attack on one of their members’ directors and to examine the ways in which their Associations can assist the police on both sides of the border to stop such attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice.