The architect, Mr Sam Stephenson, yesterday disputed a local authority's demand that he put a fence around land he owns so that children will not be able to gain access to a dangerous building on it.
Judge Cormac Dunne again adjourned an application by Fingal Council requiring Mr Stephenson to make safe the listed building at Brackenstown, Swords, Co Dublin.
The building is set on a 10-acre site and contains a three-acre lake to which are attached a millrace and sluice gates.
Mr Stephenson wants to demolish the building to put an end to the danger, but the council argues this would affect the millrace and sluice gates.
Children from nearby housing estates regularly play in the building, and it has been repeatedly vandalised each time Mr Stephenson secured it.
Last week Judge Dunne adjourned the council's application to allow the parties come up with an agreed schedule of works.
Yesterday a barrister for Fingal Council told Dublin District Court that the proposed works consisted of erecting a palisade fence at certain parts of the perimeter of the site. Mr Stephenson "was not happy" with this, however.
Judge Dunne adjourned the case to April 25th.
