Quinn defence gets plenty of shelf space

The Superquinn boss, Feargal Quinn, must have been feeling a little bruised at the end of last week.The furore over allegations that Superquinn, through a separate company, sought "support payments" from suppliers, led to days of negative publicity about the company on radio and in newspapers.However, last Saturday a defence of the Superquinn chief and his views on the Groceries Order Act, which outlaws "hello money" payments, emerged from the lofty halls of UCD's Economics Department.The defence was mounted by ubiquitous economist Moore McDowell in a half-page article in a rival publication based in Middle Abbey Street, Dublin.In case the public missed it the first time, some mysterious employee of the company decided to place this piece prominently in Superquinn stores around Dublin.