The owner of a well-known and historic building in Co Tipperary has claimed before the High Court that several alleged trespassers residing on the property are holding up much-needed renovation work.
The action has been brought by Joshua Wilson, who the court heard is the owner of Marlfield House, near Clonmel in Co Tipperary. He has asked the High Court for an order restraining ten named individuals from trespassing on the property.
He claims they have no legal right to be on the property, which consists of Marlfield House, a protected Palladian-style house built in the 1780s and the home of the Unionist Bagwell family until the 1970s, and 33 acres of land.
Mr Wilson, originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico in the United States, claims that last October he purchased the property from receivers appointed over the assets of the previous owners.
He claims he is unable to carry out much-needed renovation and construction work to make the property safe due to the alleged trespassers.
It is claimed that the defendants have allegedly caused damage to the property, by littering the grounds and allegedly blocking drains.
The defendants include Stephen Ghizdavu and Patrick Fogarty, who are allegedly residing in units within Marlfield House itself.
The other defendants are Valdas Valciukas, Kristijonas, Brendan Dunne, Steven Fox, Martins Musinkis, John Robinson, Jason Capone and Francis Harmon, who it is alleged reside in chalets on the grounds of the property.
The court heard that several of the defendants have claimed in correspondence that they have valid tenancies.
This is disputed by Mr Wilson, who says the defendants have no valid nor legal entitlement to reside on the property.
No valid tenancy agreement could have been created under a clause included in the original 2007 mortgage agreement entered into between the lender and the former owners, it is claimed.
Represented in the action by Patricia Burke BL, Mr Wilson claims that the house was divided into 14 separate units without the benefit of planning.
He also claims that eight "ramshackle chalets" have been built on the grounds of the property, also allegedly without planning permission.
However, he claims that since his purchase he has been unable to access parts of the property that he wants to renovate and restore.
He said that he asked those on the property to leave, and cease trespassing, but they have failed to do so.
The court heard that there is also a particular urgency to the application.
In recent days Mr Wilson claims that part of the main house's ceiling collapsed.
While nobody was injured, Mr Wilson said that this displays that there is a substantial risk of danger unless repairs and renovations, which he claims are being impeded and allegedly obstructed by the defendants presence on the property, are carried out.
The matter came before Mr Justice Mark Sanfey on Tuesday.
The judge, on an ex-parte basis, granted Mr Wilson permission to serve short notice of the injunction proceedings on the defendants.
The matter was adjourned to a date in January, however the judge granted the party permission to return before the court before then should the need arise.
