In November 2004, the Department of enterprise, trade and investment (DETI) and the Department of communications marine and natural resources (DCMNR) together with the Northern Ireland authority for utility regulation (utility regulator, UR) and the commission for energy regulation (CER) published a development framework for an all island energy market, setting out the dates by which they expect to achieve these unified markets.

On 1.11.2007 the Single electricity market (SEM) went live, commencing the trading of wholesale electricity in Ireland and Northern Ireland on an All-Island basis. The commission and the utility regulator jointly regulate the single electricity market ("the SEM") through the SEM Committee. The duties of the SEM committee are set out in separate legislation in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland.

The Regulatory Authorities now invite tenders from suitably qualified and experienced firms in order to establish a single-member framework agreement for a maximum duration of 4 years, subject to annual renewal for the provision of appropriate legal services across a range of specialist areas to the SEM committee.