AQW 39020/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) any costs incurred by the Education Authority defending appeals heard by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal; and (ii) the number of these appeals that were successfully upheld, in each of the last five years.
Asked by Nick Mathison MLA on 26 January 2026
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 26 January 2026
- Answer due by
- 10 February 2026
- Answered
- 3 February 20268 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The Education Authority (EA) has advised that:
The following counsel’s fees were incurred by EA in defending appeals heard by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST):
| Financial Year | Fees |
| 2020/21 | £5,418.00 |
| 2021/22 | £12,877.00 |
| 2022/23 | £9,510.00 |
| 2023/24 | £29,637.00 |
| 2024/25 | £43,891.50 |
Number of contested appeals successfully upheld by the Tribunal (i.e. EA lost):
| Financial Year | Appeals Upheld |
| 2020/21 | 13 |
| 2021/22 | 22 |
| 2022/23 | 15 |
| 2023/24 | 11 |
| 2024/25 | 38 |