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Minster Creed Announces Details of Appeals Process for 2019 Areas of Natural Constraint Scheme

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed, T.D., today confirmed details of the Independent Appeals Committee that will be in place to deal with appeals in relation to the recently announced designation of eligible townlands for the 2019 Areas of Natural Constraint (ANC) Scheme.

The Minister commented:

It is important for farmers to know that there is an independently chaired process in place should they wish to appeal the status of a townland under the 2019 ANC scheme. As well as an independent chair, I was also anxious to ensure that the Appeals Committee would have the necessary technical expertise to enable it to carry out this task. I am glad to confirm that this expertise is now in place.


The membership of the Independent Appeals Committee is as follows

  • Chairman – Mr. Padraig Gibbons
  • Mr. Jim O’Mahony
  • Mr. Paud Evans

An appeals notification form is available on the Department’s website, and the Department has also been writing to impacted farmers. All queries in relation to appeals can be addressed

  • via email to ANC2019queries@agriculture.gov.ie or
  • to the Direct Payments Helpdesk at 0761 064420, or
  • in writing to Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, ANC Section, Government Offices, Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, R32 RPA6. 


Notes for Editors
Mr. Padraig Gibbons has wide experience in the agriculture sector, including

  • As former chair and current board member of Aurivo, 
  • As a former member on the Boards of Teagasc and the National Dairy Council. 
  • As former president of the Irish Cooperative Society
  • As Chair of the Commonage Implementation Committee, and the independent appeals committee set up to deal with both the operation of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and the review of the Land Parcel Identification System.


Mr. Jim O’Mahony has extensive experience in the sector, with particular expertise in the crops and horticulture area. He held a number of roles in Teagasc, including as Programme Manager for Crops, Horticulture & Energy. He holds a number of professional qualifications from UCD, UCC, DCU, Leeds University, and the Mediators Institute of Ireland.

Mr. Paud Evans served in a range of roles in his career within the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine including as Head of the Direct Payments Unit.