Former planning chief appointed chair of Forestry Appeals Committee

Former planning chief appointed chair of Forestry Appeals Committee

Des Johnson

Des Johnson, former director of planning at An Bord Pleanála, has today been appointed as chairperson of the Forestry Appeals Committee (FAC).

Mr Johnson’s appointment follows the retirement of Bart Brady, who was the inaugural chair of the committee following its establishment as an independent appeals body under the Agriculture Appeals Act 2001.

The committee, based in Portlaoise, hears appeals from applicants or third parties who are dissatisfied with decisions made by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on applications for licences for afforestation, tree felling, forest road works and aerial fertilisation.

Andrew Doyle, minister with responsibility for forestry, said: “I am pleased to welcome Des Johnson as chair of the Forestry Appeals Committee.

“Mr Johnson has significant experience dealing with local authority planning appeals in An Bord Pleanála and is ideally placed to take forward the work of the FAC.

“I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the outgoing chair, Bart Brady, for his dedication and hard work as the first chairperson of the FAC. Bart’s work over the last two years has laid the foundations upon which the committee now operates and I wish him well in future endeavours.”

Share icon
Share this article: