Around one third of scheme appeals made by farmers to the Agricultural Appeals Office (AAO) in 2023 related to the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) and the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP).

The AAO, which was established in 2002, provides an appeals service to applicants of schemes administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

According to the office's annual report, it received 624 appeals from farmers in 2023, which is slightly below the 10-year average of 642.

Some 45 appeals were submitted using a new online system which was launched last October.

The number of appeals closed during the year stood at 652, which is slightly above the 10-year average of 636.

The report shows that some 469 appeals were carried over from 2022.

106 (17%) of the 624 appeals received by the office related to the BPS, 99 (16%) were about the SCEP and 73 (12%) focused on the Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).

50 of the appeals made by farmers were in relation to the Fodder Support Scheme (FSS), 42 to the Beef Data Genomics Programme (BDGP) and 38 on the Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme (GLAS).

There were also 20 appeals on the new Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES).

Galway was the county with the highest number of appeals at 73, followed by Cork (55) and Kerry (52).

Of the 624 appeals received in 2023, 431 requested an oral hearing, either in person or online. A total of 362 oral hearings were held throughout the year, 10 of which were held remotely.

It took an average of 112 days to close appeal from the receipt of files and assignment to an Appeals Officer

116 appeals were closed within the target of three months, this marks an increase of 21% on the previous year.

Of the 652 appeals closed in 2023, 48% of appeals were allowed, partially allowed or revised by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM)

44% of appeals were disallowed and 8% were withdrawn, deemed invalid or were out of time.

Of the 202 appeals which were allowed or partially allowed, there were 58 BPS appeals, 27 related to GLAS and 26 on the BDGP.

66 of the 290 appeals which were disallowed concerned BPS, 55 were Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) and 32 focused on GLAS.

The report shows that as of 31 December 2023 there were 441 appeals outstanding.

The AAO received 22 requests for review of decisions of appeals officers in 2023, of which 17 were made by appellants and 5 by the department.

44 reviews were closed in 2023 with 32 of remaining unchanged from the original decision.

Draft legislation to establish the new Agriculture Appeals Review Panel is currently making its way through the houses of the Oireachtas.