The High Court has reserved judgement on a bid by the Minister for the Environment and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Council to secure costs against a conservationist who lost a legal battle to save Carrickmines Castle.
Brendan Kaye for the council said construction on the final stage of the M50 motorway around Dublin was halted for three weeks during the court case costing in excess of €1 million.
James Connolly, senior counsel for the minister, said the plaintiff, Dominic Dunne, lost emphatically on all three points and did not have justifying reasons for costs to go the other way.
Frank Callanan SC said Mr Dunne was a concerned citizen and the case fell into an exceptional category in relation to the awarding of costs. Miss Justice Laffoy reserved judgement.
Construction of the final section of the M50 in south Dublin resumed last month, after the High Court ruled that legislation permitting the work was not unconstitutional.
Within a matter of weeks, the archaeological remains of the medieval castle - a series of sunken walls - were removed to clear the way for what is to be called the South-Eastern motorway.
Mr Dunne is currently appealing the High Court's ruling to the Supreme Court.
