Details of appeals in respect of 2011 and 2012 to the Agriculture Appeals Officer are set out in the tables. The decisions are categorised by those allowed, partially allowed and revised by the Department i.e.:
Allowed: Where the Appeals Officer accepts the case put forward by the appellant and overturns the penalty.
Partially Allowed: This category includes cases where an Appeals Officer decides that a reduced or lesser penalty should apply.
Revised by the Department: This category includes cases where the Department has revised its original decision based on new information submitted by the appellant to the Agriculture Appeals Office.
The Appeals Office operates on a statutory basis under the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001 and the Appeals Officers are independent under the Act. The Deputy Director, who was acting as Director, retired at the end of February 2012 and the processing of appeals may have been delayed while the post remained unfilled. However, a Deputy Director has been appointed and arrangements are under way to appoint a Director and the office is fully operational.
Appeals to the Agriculture Appeals Office — 2011 (position at 27/4/12)
Scheme
|
Received
|
Allowed
|
Partially Allowed
|
Revised by Dept.
|
Not Upheld
|
Not yet Decided
|
Agri-Environment Options Scheme
|
27
|
5
|
—
|
1
|
15
|
6
|
Bio Energy Scheme
|
3
|
—
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
—
|
Development of the Organic Sector Scheme
|
4
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
2
|
—
|
Disadvantaged Areas Compensatory Allowance Scheme
|
5
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
4
|
—
|
Early Retirement from Farming Scheme
|
18
|
6
|
—
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
Farm Improvement Scheme
|
6
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
4
|
2
|
Farm Waste Management Scheme
|
3
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
Forestry Environmental Protection Scheme (FEPS)
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
Grassland Sheep Scheme
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
1
|
Installation Aid Scheme
|
6
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
6
|
—
|
Non-Valuation Aspects of Reactor Scheme
|
5
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
5
|
—
|
Organic Farming Scheme
|
11
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
—
|
Poultry Welfare Scheme
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS)
|
236
|
34
|
37
|
15
|
118
|
32
|
Single Farm Payment Scheme
|
324
|
13
|
18
|
127
|
126
|
40
|
Sheep Fencing/Mobile Handling Equipment Scheme
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme
|
83
|
2
|
3
|
29
|
45
|
4
|
Appeals to the Agriculture Appeals Office — 2012 (position at 27/4/12)
Scheme
|
Received
|
Allowed
|
Partially Allowed
|
Revised by Dept.
|
Not Upheld
|
Not yet Decided
|
Agri-Environment Options Scheme
|
16
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
16
|
Agri-Environment Options Scheme/Organic Farming Scheme
|
42
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
41
|
Bio Energy Scheme
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
Dairy Efficiency Programme
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
Disadvantaged Areas Compensatory Allowance Scheme
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
1
|
Early Retirement from Farming Scheme
|
4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
3
|
Farm Improvement Scheme
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
Grassland Sheep Scheme
|
4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
4
|
Installation Aid Scheme
|
1
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
Non-Valuation Aspects of Reactor Scheme
|
3
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
2
|
Organic Farming Scheme
|
3
|
1
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
1
|
Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS)
|
68
|
—
|
—
|
3
|
3
|
62
|
Single Farm Payment Scheme
|
113
|
—
|
—
|
27
|
24
|
62
|
Sheep Fencing/Mobile Handling Equipment Scheme
|
2
|
—
|
—
|
1
|
—
|
1
|
Suckler Cow Welfare Scheme
|
48
|
—
|
—
|
15
|
1
|
32
|
Other schemes not under the Agriculture Appeals Office:
Name of Scheme
|
2011
|
2012 (to date)
|
|
No. of appeals
|
No. of which successful
|
No. part successful
|
No. of appeals
|
Of those decided to date
|
No. of which successful
|
No. part successful
|
Afforestation Grant Scheme
|
55
|
19
|
11
|
20
|
3
|
0
|
Forest Environment Protection Scheme
|
13
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Forest Road Scheme
|
22
|
12
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
Native Woodland Scheme
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
Woodland Improvement Scheme
|
6
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
Forest Reconstitution Scheme
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|