Billionaire businessman Seán Quinn has been summoned to Killenaule District Court in Co Tipperary by Judge Terence Finn to answer questions on the provision of insurance certificates to customers by Quinn Direct.

Mr Quinn is due to appear at the next sitting of the court on November 8th, having failed to appear at last week's court after a summons was issued.

The summons followed insurance charges brought against Tony McCarthy of Old Granary, Ballysloe, who had secured an insurance certificate from Quinn Direct, but did not have proper insurance cover.

Mr McCarthy had been before the court in May, but had his case adjourned pending an explanation from the managing director of Quinn Direct.

Mr Quinn is not the managing director of Quinn Direct.

He is chairman of Quinn Group, the ultimate parent of Quinn Direct.

Colin Morgan is the general manager of Quinn Direct.

The judge has dealt with a number of insurance cases in the past, including some involving Quinn Direct. When notified of Mr McCarthy's case in May, he immediately demanded that a summons be issued to bring Mr Quinn to court to explain the company's position.

Sgt Martin Walsh of Thurles Garda station told the judge that the summons had been issued through the local gardaí in Mr Quinn's jurisdiction.

The summons was not, however, acted upon.

"If this summons is not served by the next sitting of Killenaule District Court, I want the chief superintendent, superintendent, inspector, sergeants and the gardaí down the line to come before me here and explain why it was not served.

" I am quite annoyed at this and I can tell you, the gloves are off on this one," the judge said.