Minister Healy-Rae seeks Forestry Appeals Committee prioritisation of appeals on windblow sites
- Foilsithe: 11 Meitheamh 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 12 Meitheamh 2025
Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Healy-Rae TD, has welcomed the publication of the 2024 Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) Report. The Forestry Appeals Committee is the independent appeals body for anyone who wishes to appeal the decision of the Minister to grant a license for afforestation, felling, aerial fertilisation, or forestry road construction. The chair of the FAC, Seamus Neely, submitted his annual report for 2024 to the Minister.
Minister Healy-Rae said:
“The appeals mechanism is an essential element of the forestry decision-making process in Ireland. It is important that both appellants and licence holders see a transparent and comprehensive appeals process, and feel that due process is fully served, and I believe that this is the case.”
“As part of the Government’s response to storms Darragh and Éowyn, I have asked both my Department and the Committee to prioritise appeals on sites which have been identified as being affected by windblow.”
The Minister added
The FAC chairperson’s report fulfils the legal obligations of Section 14 (4) of the Agriculture Appeals Act, 2001 (as amended).
Amongst the main features in the chairperson’s report were:
- On 1st January 2024 there were 53 open appeals against 41 licence decisions on hand which were carried over from the previous year.
- An additional 146 appeals were received against 115 licence decisions during 2024.
- The FAC closed 73 appeals against 58 licence decisions during 2024. These included carried-over appeals and appeals received during 2023.
- The average time taken to determine an appeal from date of hearing was 55 days during 2024.
- All appeal decisions and any related reports are published on the FAC website.
“I would like to acknowledge Seamus Neely’s excellent work in chairing and overseeing an effective and responsive appeals process. I would also like to thank the deputy chairpersons, all the members of the committee and the staff of the Agriculture Appeals Office for their continued contribution in ensuring an effective and efficient appeals service for the forestry sector.”
Minister Healy-Rae concluded
Note for Editors
The chair’s report will be published in the publications’ section of the FAC website.