Judge warned Supreme Court sittings could be cancelled due to plunging temperatures

Temperatures in the chamber reached as low as 13.5 degrees Celcius

Judge warned Supreme Court sittings could be cancelled due to plunging temperatures

(Francesca Comyn)

A judge warned that low temperatures in the chamber of the Supreme Court could result in sittings being cancelled.

The Independent reports Chief Justice Mrs Susan Denham brought a thermometer to the bench to show temperatures have been reaching as low as 13.5 degrees Celcius.

In a letter to Minister for State Simon Harris, dated January 30, she wrote:

"This I am loath to do as cases are important and urgent for the parties, but this is a significant health matter.

"The conference room of the Supreme Court was so cold that I brought a thermometer and took the temperature for some days from Monday, January 19th."

Government regulations state a minimum temperature of 17.5 degrees Celcius for a workplace, but readings by Justice Denham were well below this level.

Calling it "entirely inadequate" and a "significant health issue," she says the issue is not new and she had raised concerns in 2013.