The Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC) is operationally independent of my Department in the performance of its functions and the scheduling of appeal hearings is a matter for the Chairman of the FAC. I am informed that that there are currently 82 licence appeal applications on hand in respect of the afforestation category representing 930 hectares. Three of these have been heard and are awaiting a decision and 23 are scheduled to be heard by 15th April, 2021.
The FAC hear both oral and non-oral hearing appeals and are currently hearing appeals remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions. The FAC is hearing on average 20 cases per week whereas they were hearing eight per week before the introduction of three new committees in November 2020 New appeals continue to be submitted with 74 received since the introduction of the Forestry legislation. The FAC currently has 298 cases on hand, of which 101 are scheduled for hearing, 46 are already heard and a decision is awaited the final 151 have yet to be scheduled.
It is extremely important that applicants and their forestry companies notify the FAC in advance on appeals which are scheduled so that appeals are only heard on licences which are genuinely going to proceed if granted.