Department of Agriculture ‘acted unfairly’ in seeking to recover forestry grant
The department had approved the grant in 2004 under the Afforestation Grant and Premium Scheme to allow the farmer establish a forest on his land. But payments stopped in 2010 after the landowner informed the department extreme flooding had destroyed the forest. In January 2013, the Department directed the farmer to pay back the €25,000 he had been paid under the grant, and sought the repayment in full, within a month.
The farmer appealed and the department argued the landowner was aware the site was prone to flooding when applying for the funds.
