Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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220. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff within the Forestry Office; the number of staff processing forestry appeals: the members of the Forestry Appeals Board; the frequency at which the Board meets: the number of times the Board has met each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24475/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 147 staff working across the Department's three Forestry Divisions.   There staff are a combination of forestry inspectors, ecologists, archeologists and administrative staff. 

 I wish to inform the Deputy that the Agriculture Appeals Office is a separate independent Office providing an appeals service for agriculture schemes of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine since 2002. 

In 2018, the Office was assigned responsibility for implementing a new statutory appeals service for appeals against Department decisions on forestry licences. The Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) also operates independently of my Department.

The staff allocation for the Agriculture Appeals Office is a Director, 11 Appeals Officers and 10.5 administrative support staff.  The staff undertake duties in relation to both Agriculture Appeals and Forestry Appeals. All Appeals Officers are members of the FAC.

The FAC is chaired by an independent chairperson, Mr. Des Johnson formerly of An Bord Pleanala. The quorum for the committee is three. Two Appeals Officer who have been assigned full time to the FAC and all other appeals officers are assigned on a rotating basis whilst also carrying out their Agriculture Appeals Officer functions.

The work of the FAC continues on a daily basis in relation to the processing of appeals, circulation of information and publishing the outcome of appeals on the website. In 2018 and 2019, the FAC held 47 and 45 hearings respectively.  To date in 2020, the FAC have held 182 hearings (since 30th March 2020, these meetings have been held remotely).

Since the FAC was established, the number of appeals has increased significantly: the number of forestry licence appeals received in 2019 was 489 in respect of 311 licences which was more than double the combined total of appeals received in 2017 and 2018 (231 in respect of 169 licences). To date in 2020, there have been 689 forestry appeals received against 444 licences. 

We have also proposed new legislation amending the Agriculture Appeals Act which is designed to align forestry licensing appeals process with best practice in other appeals processes.  For instance, it includes proposals for the appointment of Deputy Chairpersons and the creation of sub-divisions of the main Committee which will increase capacity to hold hearings.   Certain other efficiencies in the operation of the committee are also proposed. 

My Department has received almost 9,000 submissions in response to the publication of the draft Bill.  The level of engagement with this legislation is very welcome.  Early analysis by officials of my Department shows a significant majority of submissions received support the introduction of the Bill and the proposals therein.  The careful examination of submissions is continuing ahead of publishing them on my Department's website.  The submissions will inform the updated version of the Bill, which I will present to the House in the next fortnight subject to all procedures being complete. 

Additional resources have previously been assigned to the FAC, including additional administrative resources and personnel with planning expertise, to assist with administering appeals.  These will be added to shortly to ensure their readiness for the implementation of the Bill, subject to its passing in the Oireachtas.