Home of Ireland’s ex-richest man on edge of Fermanagh border searched by police

Gardai investigating alleged criminal activity in Cavan and the wider border region went to the house in Ballyconnell, about a mile from the Fermanagh border, today.

Officers carried out the search after a warrant was issued by a district court judge under Section 10 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997.

The search ended later in the day and no arrests were made.

Mr Quinn was once the richest man in Ireland, with a pre-2008-crash fortune estimated at some €4.7 billion (£3.7 billion).

In a statement, gardai said it was an ongoing criminal investigation and they would not be making any further comment.

Mr Quinn confirmed to BBC Northern Ireland that his home was searched by officers.

He said he did not know why his home was targeted by gardai investigating alleged criminality.

“They said it was coercion, deception, harassment, stuff like that,” he said.

“So I asked them who was I harassing, this that and the other, and they said: ‘Look we can’t tell you that. We just have to do our investigation, but that’s what we’re here for’.

“They never mentioned anything about criminality. Unless harassment is criminality, they never mentioned anything like that at all.”

Mr Quinn said they took his phone, diary and boxes of items.

Chris McGettigan, Mr Quinn’s solicitor, said several documents were taken along with the phone during the search of the former billionaire’s home.

He told the PA news agency the two-hour search operation came as a surprise and Mr Quinn had not been informed what specific allegations gardai were investigating.

“We don’t know what the complaints that have been made against him actually are,” said Mr McGettigan.

“The fundamental principle of any legal system is you are entitled to know what the allegations are that are being made against you and so far there’s none.”

Mr McGettigan said gardai said they were investigating claims of harassment but did not provide details.

“You’re entitled to know who’s making allegations against you, anyone is entitled to know what allegations are being made, but they are not forthcoming,” he added.

“As we stand, neither ourselves nor Mr Quinn know what the allegations are that being made against him, if any.”

The solicitor questioned whether some of the documents taken may be legally privileged, but he said it was hard to determine exactly what had been seized, as he said gardai did not leave a list of what they had removed.