A peephole and specific Farrow & Ball paint among judges' requests to Courts Service

One judge complaining about a "particularly creaky” asked for two new chairs, "but he is quite specific and would like two chairs like his chairs in Letterkenny”. File picture: iStock

A peephole so a judge could see who was knocking at his door, a replacement for a “creaky” chair, and a mystery missing leather armchair were among the issues raised by members of the judiciary about their chambers and court rooms.

Other judges raised problems with windows that wouldn’t open, the glare of the sun on a computer screen, and a radiator that could not be turned on, in requests made to the Courts Service.

After Justice Séamus Woulfe moved to new chambers last October, his assistant wrote about a problem with a bell that was causing confusion.

In an email, he said: “This area is now for two judges but there is only one bell which rings quite loud in the hall; could this be changed so that both judges don’t have to come out when the door is rang, to an intercom for each chambers, for example?” 

The request added: “There is no peephole on the outer door, or video camera system etc. Could a peephole be put on the outer door please?” 

An assistant to Ms Justice Emily Egan also wrote last October to say her chambers were badly in need of upgrading. Among the issues flagged were a jammed window that also needed to be cleaned, a repaint of the chambers, and a “deep-clean” for the rooms themselves.

Another judge had a problem with a radiator in their room that was fixed in the “off” position. “If someone gets a chance, they might advise me on regulating [it],” asked High Court judge Siobhán Stack.

Judge Stack also said there was a nice painting in her room “presumably belonging to the OPW” which she wanted to hang up. 

She said in the emails sent last October:

I would do it myself but understand that this is not on.

The office of Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne requested a deep-clean for new chambers she was moving into and advised its dining table had a broken leg. “She would like this replaced with [a] dining table of a similar size and one that matches the wood of the existing furniture,” said an email.

A later message on behalf of Judge Dunne raised a query over a locked unit in the room, which nobody seemed to have a key for. “Could this lock please be replaced?” said the message.

An assistant to Judge Caroline Biggs reported a leather armchair that seemed to have gone astray in an email, also asking for a cutlery drawer insert, a shredder, and an extension cord.

Judge Nuala Butler’s office sent a number of requests for when she moved rooms, including repair of a missing foot on a fridge and broken blinds, as well as asking for a full-length mirror for the inside of a wardrobe door.

High Court judge Tony O’Connor suggested new carpet needed to be installed in his new chambers “given the state of [it] now”. Judge O’Connor also recommended a repaint of the rooms if that work was to go ahead. 

He wrote: “I hope I am not being presumptuous – I think my request will save time and effort in the long run.” He even chose the Farrow and Ball paint that would be suitable. An email said: 

I have marked the colours with an asterisk and circled the asterisks in the colour chart.

Ms Justice Niamh Hyland flagged an issue with sunlight streaming through her window and making it difficult to see her computer screen.

She said: “My new chambers are great … however, when doing a hearing online, the sun was very high in the afternoon, and it was clear I will need effective blinds on at least the west facing windows. The present blinds are not working.” 

District Court Judge Brian O’Shea wrote to say there was “mould on the walls” in the toilet area of Cashel Courthouse, according to an email. He said he also needed items removed, including dead plants and used batteries in a sink area.

“Pictures have been removed from the walls and they have been left looking very unkempt,” he said, “the walls clearly need to be painted.” 

The office of District Court Judge Raymond Finnegan wrote to say he was “not happy” with the chairs available in his chambers or courthouse in Cavan.

“The [chair] on the bench is particularly creaky,” said an email. “He has asked me if we could get him two new chairs, but he is quite specific and would like two chairs like his chairs in Letterkenny.”