THE owners of a factory in Derrylin where a Fermanagh GAA county player was fatally injured as a result of an industrial accident nearly three years ago have pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.

Lisnaskea clubman, Brian Óg Maguire, who was part of the Fermanagh senior football squad, was injured in an accident that occurred at the Quinn Group’s Pre-Stress plant on Ballyconnell Road on September 13, 2012. He subsequently died on the way to hospital.

Members of Mr Maguire’s family were in Dungannon Crown Court this morning to hear the two charges being read out against the company that owns the factory, Quinn Building Products Limited.

Represented in court by managing director, Liam McCaffrey, the firm, with an address at Gortmullan, Derrylin, was charged with failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees on September 13, 2012.

Quinn Building Products Limited was further charged with failing to ensure that work equipment involved in the production of pre-stressed concrete was maintained in “an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair” on the same date.

After the two charges were read out in turn, Mr McCaffrey, who was standing in the dock on behalf of the company, entered guilty pleas to both.

A Public Prosecution Service (PPS) barrister told the court that he had spoken to the family of the deceased and a number of victim impact statements were to be prepared. He anticipated that this would take a period of three to four weeks.

The prosecutor added that there were a number of documents relating to accounts and other matters that the defendant was required to produce.

Meanwhile, a barrister acting on behalf of Quinn Building Products said that he wished to place on record, on direct and specific instructions from his client, that the loss of Brian Óg had been felt "very significantly" in the defendant's company.

The barrister added: "He was an extremely popular work colleague and the sense of loss in the company has not diminished with the passage of time."

Judge Melody McReynolds adjourned the case for plea and sentencing on Thursday, October 8. The venue is to be confirmed.

Quinn Industrial Holdings released the following statement after the court proceedings.

It read: "The management of Quinn Building Products Limited acknowledges the outcome of the proceedings today related to the tragic death of our employee, Brian Óg Maguire in September 2012. This tragic event occurred prior to the acquisition of the business by Quinn Industrial Holdings Limited. However the Company accepts that there were failings in its maintenance of appropriate Health & Safety regulations at the time of the accident. Brian’s death remains a tragic loss to his family, his community and his work-colleagues and he is sadly missed by all his friends throughout the business. The Company has worked closely with the Health & Safety Executive, implemented significant changes to work practices and made every possible effort to ensure that no such incident ever occurs again."