Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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302. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update in relation to Vermilion Energy Corrib Ireland Ltd v The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43993/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Vermilion Energy Ireland Limited and Others v The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ireland and The Attorney General was brought in April 2024. The plaintiffs challenged both Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 on an emergency intervention to address high energy prices and the Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Act 2023, which implemented the regulation in Ireland. The Plaintiffs claimed that the temporary solidarity contribution raised by the Act was in breach of European law, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the Irish Constitution and the European Convention On Human Rights.

The case was entered onto the list of the Commercial Court, a division of the High Court dealing with significant commercial cases, on the 3 May 2024.

On 31 July 2024 the High Court decided to request a preliminary ruling on five questions to the Court of Justice of the EU. The case number is Case C-533/24. For the sake of procedural economy, this reference for a preliminary ruling will be heard together with Case C-358/24 Varo Energy Belgium.

The case remains before the ECJ. My Department is monitoring its progress closely.