The Courts Service provided High Court judge Mr Justice Finnegan with a new three-piece suite for his chambers at a cost of £1,596.
This was the most expensive item provided by the service, which is usually able to meet requests for furnishings from OPW stores. According to documents on the refurbishment of judges' chambers within the past two years, obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act, Mr Justice Butler requested a table for his fax machine, as it was balancing on a pile of books.
He also asked for a dining table, as he was unable to return hospitality because he had no table. Judges normally eat in their chambers. He also requested a comfortable armchair, "reclining if possible".
The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Keane, sought a private WC as part of the rearrangement of his chambers. Many of the senior members of the judiciary have showers in their chambers.
Mr Justice Fennelly requested additional bookshelves, two "balloon back" chairs, the upholstering of a carver-type chair, the repair of a Sheraton-style table ("on condition this is a temporary replacement"), and an office chair.
The documents show that the top of the desk in Mr Justice Hardiman's chambers kept coming off, and needed repair. He also requested a smaller table than the one already in his room, which was provided at a cost of £985.
Mr Justice McKechnie had to keep his books in boxes, as he had no bookshelves.
He was temporarily housed in Mr Justice Moriarty's rooms, while the latter was in the tribunal.
The Courts Service provided them after it established that Mr Justice Moriarty had no objections to the bookshelves being installed.
Other requests included three for flame-retardant, over-door curtains.