Quinn lobbied against covert buy irish campaign

Letters revealed under the UK’s 30-year rule on State documents show Sean Quinn lobbied the European Commission claiming economic policies here were threatening his then-fledging business.

Quinn wrote to Brussels in 1985 accusing the then-Irish government of protectionism with State contracts only awarded to firms using Irish cement.
Mr Quinn claimed a covert “buy Irish” campaign was impacting on his trade and warned the continued prosperity of his company was reaching a critical level.
His pleas came after the Irish Government had introduced a directive in 1983, ordering contractors not to use products bought outside the South.
The decision was made following complaints within the Republic on the high level of building materials imported from the North.
At the time, producers in the North were in receipt of grant aid, giving them an advantage over southern plants.

‘Protectionism’
Despite this, Mr Quinn claimed the policy affected his quarry business in Derrylin, Co Fermanagh and stated that cement used at his works at the time was sourced from Cookstown, Co Tyrone.
“We would ask you to investigate the complaint that materials from Northern Ireland may not be used for the construction industry within the Republic of Ireland, with particular emphasis on concrete products,” he wrote, citing examples where products by his company were banned.
These projects included the building of the Ballyconnell fire station, the Loreto Convent School in Letterkenny, Co Donegal and a housing scheme in Granard, Co Longford.
A memo, compiled by a Northern Ireland Office official, concluded: “If the above is accurate, it seems quite clear that there is a strong case of economic protectionism being pursued in the Republic to prevent Northern companies taking any business.”
Ireland’s former richest man now works as an advisor to the Quinn Business Retention Company (QBRC), who run parts of his former empire.