A High Court judge has reserved his decision on an application by a local man for an injunction halting works for the proposed new "super" prison at Thornton Hall in north Co Dublin.
Michael Kavanagh, who has lived in Kilsallaghan Co Dublin all his life, is also seeking an injunction to prevent the awarding of a €29 million tender for construction of the prison.
He said he was gravely concerned that the intention of the then Minister for Justice Michael McDowell was to present the local community with a "fait accompli".
Mr Kavanagh wants the injunctions pending the outcome of his full legal challenge. After hearing almost three days of legal submissions yesterday, Mr Justice Thomas Smyth reserved judgment.
In an affidavit read to the court Mr Kavanagh, a grandfather and retired Aer Lingus worker, said he first heard of the Government decision in relation to the Thornton Hall site on the radio and was "truly astounded and shocked" because there had been no prior consultation with the local community.
"To say the whole local community including my family in what is an agrricultural area went into deep shock when they heard the news would be an understatement," he said.