The Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) received 127 valid appeals against licence decisions in 2024, according to the FAC's Chairperson's Report.

This figure was out of 146 total appeals received in 2024, meaning 18 of the total number received were considered invalid.

The 127 valid appeals concerned 99 separate licence decisions.

During the course of 2024, 73 appeal decisions were issued, relating to 58 licence decisions. This figure includes decisions on the 53 appeals relating to 41 licence decisions relating to 2023 that were carried over.

There were also three appeals, relating to three licence decisions, withdrawn in 2024.

This left 105 appeals relating to 82 forestry licences not yet decided as of December 31, 2024.

Of the 73 appeal decisions against 58 licences in 2024, January saw the most appeal decisions, concerning nine of those 58 licences. March saw the fewest decisions, concerning zero licences.

From the date an appeal is heard to the date parties to the appeal received a decision took on average 59 days during 2024.

The report noted that the period of time between hearing an appeal and final decision varied from case to case, depending on the exact nature and complexity of the grounds of the appeal.

The types of licence that can be appealed against include felling, afforestation, forest roads, and ariel fertilisation.

Of the 58 licence cases that were resolved in 2024, 23 were for afforestation, 33 were for felling, two were for forest roads, and zero were for ariel fertilisation.

In deciding an appeal, the Forestry Appeals Committee has a number of options.

These options are:

Affirm the original decision (thereby rejecting the appeal);
Where the committee is satisfied that a serious or significant error(s) was made in making the initial decision, or that the decision was made without complying with fair procedure, it can:

Of the 58 licence cases that were resolved in 2024, the overwhelming majority ended in the initial decision being set aside and remitted to the minister, accounting for 47 of the 58 closed appeals.

Four of the licences resulted in their associated appeals being rejected, while six licences had their appeals allowed. Only one licence resulted in the initial decision being varied.

The fees required to accompany each appeal is €200. The Forestry Appeals Committee cannot accept an appeal without the fee being paid. In 2024, the FAC received fees totaling €25,400 for the 127 valid appeals.