Circuit and District Court judges received more than €2 million in expenses last year, an increase of almost 20 per cent on 2003.
The expenses relate to cost of travel, subsistence and accommodation.
The average payment for Circuit Court judges was €28,536, while District Court judges received €21,903.
However, for security reasons the Courts Service has refused to issue a breakdown of the individual expenses payments to the judges under the Freedom of Information Act.
The refusal follows a review of security measures for District Court judges, who are to be given greater protection after concerns about verbal abuse outside courts.
Currently, 31 Circuit Court and 53 District Court judges administer justice throughout the State.
Last year Circuit Court judges received a total of €884,640 in expenses, while their District Court colleagues received €1,160,863.
The combined total of €2,045,323 represents an 18.5 per cent increase on the €1,725,211 paid to judges in 2003.
However, the respective individual bills will vary widely as judges' expenses are expected to relate to the size of the area over which they have jurisdiction.
Dublin-based judges receive substantially less than the norm, while those working on circuits and in rural districts receive the highest amounts.
Circuit Court judges administer justice in eight circuits: Cork, Dublin, South-Western, South-Eastern, Northern, Midland, Eastern and Western. Circuit Court judges receive an annual salary of €132,306.
Apart from the Dublin metropolitan courts, District Court judges generally have jurisdiction for counties and cities throughout the State. They receive an annual salary of €110,254.
In refusing to release the individual amounts to each judge, the FoI decision-maker in the case cited Section 24 of the Act, which relates to security of the State.
"Judges have a central role in protecting the security of the State, and I consider that it would be inappropriate to make a decision which would compromise them in carrying out their role and protecting the security of the State," he said.
