Quinn: claims based on forged memo

THE billionaire managing director of the Quinn Group has vehemently denied allegations that his insurance company employed serving gardaí to investigate claims or had bribed claimants’ solicitors.

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy has ordered an inquiry into the allegations.

In response to an article which appeared in the Sunday Tribune, Seán Quinn, the country’s wealthiest businessman, has placed an open letter in selected newspapers in which he says the Sunday Tribune’s article and corresponding editorial were based on a forged memo.

“Having reviewed the memo published in Sunday’s paper there is absolutely no doubt that this memo is a forgery,” states the letter signed by “Seán Quinn, managing director, Quinn Group”.

The sole supporting evidence of the allegations against Quinn Direct insurance was the memo “purporting to be an official company document written by (general manager) Kevin Lunney”. The letter adds: “The Sunday Tribune declined our request that we be given a copy of the document before publication. Nonetheless, we did inform the Sunday Tribune that these allegations were false and that Kevin Lunney never wrote a memo supporting these allegations.”

Mr Quinn said he placed the open letter in the press to reassure customers, staff and the public “as regards the ethical standards that both Quinn Direct and the Quinn Group operate to”.

The group “and senior executives such as Kevin Lunney, operate to the highest ethical standards,” Mr Quinn stated.

He said he had instructed his solicitors to instigate legal proceedings against the Sunday Tribune “for publishing these ridiculous allegations”.

Tánaiste Michael McDowell said allegations that gardaí had been involved in investigations of insurance claims on behalf of insurance companies were very “grave”.

Responding to concerns raised by Sinn Féin TD, Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, the Justice Minister said he shared those concerns and warned the matter was being treated with the utmost seriousness.

“It would be entirely wrong for any member of An Garda Síochána to make any private company engaged in the insurance sector a party to information held by An Garda Síochána, other than through officially sanctioned and conventional channels,” said Mr McDowell.