The Government does not have sufficient funds to complete the new chambers for members of the judiciary, Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said.

However, works committed by the previous administration will continue as planned as the Government tries to tap new funds to honour its contractual obligations.

He said only €300,000 had been found to complete the new offices for judges and magistrates, which the Finance Ministry increased to €800,000 in this administration’s new Budget.

However, this was still not enough as two tenders awarded by the previous Administration amounted to nearly €1.1 million.

This did not include the expense to finish off the offices with office equipment and IT-related expenses.

Office furniture is estimated to cost €254,000, while IT and network connections and expenses to link the building to the data centres of the main law courts is estimated to cost a further €61,000.

Dr Bonnici said these two tenders had been awarded by the previous government for two phases of the judges’ chambers – one covered architectural finishing and restoration works costing €458,000 and the second for building services to the tune of €625,000.

He said that, despite being awarded, Budget 2013 only had €300,000 earmarked for the project. However, following representations with the Finance Ministry, this was increased by €500,000 to €800,000.

The new offices are housed in residences between Strait and Old Bakery streets, which have been linked.

The building will become fully-fledged chambers for members of the judiciary who currently do not have fixed offices in the courts across the road.

The original application to build the new chambers had been refused by the Development Control Commission some nine years ago and was eventually accepted in June 2007 after the bridge connecting the judiciary building to the courts was eliminated.

The permit was approved by the commission in June 2007, overturning the directorate’s recommendation. Work began in March 2011.

The project hit another brick wall last year when the fifth, sixth and seventh floors had to be demolished and recessed after having been described as an eyesore by the Chamber of Architects and environmental organisations.

The new building is expected to be completely completed by September.