133. (1) This section applies to proceedings of the following kinds:

(a) proceedings in the High Court by way of judicial review, or of seeking leave to apply for judicial review, of—

(i) any decision or purported decision made or purportedly made,

(ii) any action taken or purportedly taken, or

(iii) any failure to take any action,

pursuant to a provision of an enactment that gives effect to a relevant provision;

(b) an appeal (including an appeal by way of case stated) to the Supreme Court from a decision of the High Court in a proceeding referred to in paragraph (a);

(c) proceedings in the High Court or the Supreme Court for interim or interlocutory relief in relation to a proceeding referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in Order 99 of the Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986) and subject to subsections (3) to (5), in proceedings to which this section applies, each party to the proceedings (including any notice party) shall bear its own costs.

(3) The costs of proceedings, or a portion of such costs, as are appropriate, may be awarded to the applicant to the extent that the applicant succeeds in obtaining relief and any of those costs shall be borne by the respondent or notice party, or both of them, to the extent that the actions or omissions of the respondent or notice party, or both of them, contributed to the applicant obtaining relief.

(4) The Court may award costs against a party in proceedings to which this section applies if the Court considers it appropriate to do so—

(a) because the Court considers that a claim or counterclaim by the party is frivolous or vexatious,

(b) because of the manner in which the party has conducted the proceedings, or

(c) where the party is in contempt of the Court.

(5) Subsection (2) does not affect the Court’s entitlement to award costs in favour of a party in a matter of exceptional public importance and where in the special circumstances of the case it is in the interests of justice to do so.

(6) In this section a reference to “the Court” shall be construed as, in relation to particular proceedings to which this section applies, a reference to the High Court or the Supreme Court, as may be appropriate.

(7) In this section, “relevant provision” means a provision of—

(a) Council Directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985¹⁵ to which Article 10a (inserted by Directive 2003/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 May 2003¹⁶ providing for public participation in respect of the drawing up of certain plans and programmes relating to the environment and amending with regard to public participation and access to justice Council Directive 85/337/EEC and Council Directive 96/61/EC¹⁷) of that Council Directive applies,

(b) Directive 2001/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 June 2001¹⁸ on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, or

(c) paragraph 3 or 4 of Article 6 of the Habitats Directive.