Lawyer Brian O'Donnell 'barricades' himself in Killiney home
A high-profile Irish solicitor has effectively barricaded himself into his home in Killiney near Dublin, in a bid to stop it from being repossessed.
In 2011, a court ordered Brian O'Donnell and his wife to repay loans of more than 70m euros (£59.8m) to the Bank of Ireland.
The house was once valued at 30m euros (£22m).
Members of the land league anti-repossession movement are reported to have blocked the entrance to the home.
Irish state broadcaster RTÉ reported that the group said they were invited to the house at Gorse Hill on Vico Road, by the O'Donnell family on the understanding a receiver would arrive on Monday.
Speaking through the self-styled "new land league", Mr O'Donnell said he would not be attending a court hearing on Monday where an injunction was being sought against a possession order.
He said his adult children have left the property complying with the court order.
The High Court in Dublin has reserved judgment on an application by the O'Donnell family for an injunction against the repossession of their home.
A judge said said he would make his decision by 14:00 local time on Tuesday when he receives more information about what is happening at the house.
Last month, a bank-appointed receiver was given a court order to take possession of Gorse Hill by 1 February against the wishes of Mr O'Donnell's adult children.
It followed a failed Supreme Court appeal against repossession of the house.
RTÉ reported that Monday's application was made by the family's eldest son Blake O'Donnell.
He said his parents were now occupying the property and that he and his siblings had vacated the house.
He added that he was not aware of the presence of members of a group calling themselves the "land league" barricading the property.
Blake O'Donell said his father was not "pulling the strings" as had been suggested in court and it was nonsense to suggest that he had orchestrated things in the background.
Counsel for Bank of Ireland told the court that his injunction application was a repackaging of arguments from previous cases.
He claimed it was a last ditch attempt by the family to buy themselves some further time.