Long announces SEN Tribunal appointments

1. Pen Pictures

Sinead Burns

An occupational psychologist and she trained as a primary school teacher with a particular focus on special educational needs. Sinead has been a Lay Magistrate for over twenty years and she is a School Governor. A Civil Service Commissioner for Northern Ireland and a former Judicial Appointments Commissioner. She is also a Board Member of the Public Appointments Service.   

Shauneen O’Neill

Has an extensive experience of many varying roles within the primary setting. Taught mainstream, been SENCO, Acting principal and am currently a KS1 SPSC teach. Passionate about ensuring that children in her care have all the tools and support they need to reach their fullest potential.

Libby Kinney

Currently Deputy Director of Strategic Communication with the Department for Communities. Previous roles included Head of Communication with the Public Prosecution Service and Director of Communication and Promotion in the Equality Commission where she promoted awareness of needs of children with special educational needs and disability.

Has a particular interest in the provision of education for children with autism and was a co-founder of the educational charity SPEAC (Special Provision for the Education of Autistic Children).

A former member of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee on Older and Disabled People. 

Laura Schwaderer

Worked for ten years as a Speech and Language Therapist, supporting children with disabilities and communication disorders across healthcare and education settings. Following a career change, bringing knowledge and skills to the work of SENDIST as a Lay Member.

Charlene McGirr

A Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with 18 years’ experience working in health and education. Charlene has also worked as a Registered Intermediary (RI) with the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland for 11 years.

Charlene’s clinical Speech & Language Therapy experience includes assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children with speech, language and communication difficulties in community clinics, special schools and mainstream primary schools and pre-schools. Charlene has a wealth of experience in working with schools to help build their capacity to support children with speech, language and communication needs. Charlene has delivered a variety of formal and accredited training to teachers and classroom assistants in mainstream schools and pre-schools. 

In her RI role Charlene has worked extensively in the Northern Irish legal system for 11 years. Within this role Charlene has assessed the communication skills of many children and adults who are victim/witnesses or suspects/defendants within the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland and then helped facilitate their communication at the police investigative stages and at court to assist the vulnerable person in giving their evidence in a clear, complete and coherent manner and to enable access to a fair trial. Charlene is a regular trainer with the PSNI, PPS and other core users.

Gavin Gray

Is an experienced education professional with over two decades experience in teaching, curriculum leadership, and educational assessment. A Chartered Science Teacher and Certified Educational Assessor, he brings significant knowledge of special educational needs and systemic inclusion from his Senior Leadership and Governance roles including The Institute of Physics, Association for Science Education (ASE) and the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE). He has advised Ministers, developed national curriculum reforms and worked closely with schools, parents and a comprehensive range of external agencies. Gavin's balanced, evidence-based approach and strong communication skills make him well placed to contribute meaningfully to SENDIST proceedings.

Ellen Finlay

Has worked in the community and voluntary sector for over 20 years. She brings over a decade of experience in the children’s sector, where she championed the rights and wellbeing of children and young people across a range of policy and practice areas.

She has contributed to strategic policy development as a member of the Co-Design Groups for both the Anti-Poverty Strategy and the Disability Strategy. Her commitment to upholding rights and promoting inclusion is further demonstrated through her work as an Equality Commissioner, where she sits on the Audit and Risk Committee, the Legal Funding Committee, and the Independent Mechanism for Northern Ireland (IMNI) Joint Committee, which monitors implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Ellen is the Founder of Policy 360, a social enterprise that helps charities and values-led organisations connect effectively with policymakers and influence systems change. She also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Board and sits on the Board of USEL.

Paula Stuart

A retired Post Primary School Principal, she worked in non-selective education in Belfast for 35+years. Graduated from QUB as a Science teacher (Chemistry) and went on to successfully achieve a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and PQH NI. 

Eugene Moore

Is a SENCO and mathematics teacher over 25 years and also a Specialist Assessor and Educational Assessor for over 14 years.

2. SENDIST hears appeals against the decisions of the Education Authority (EA) concerning children's special educational needs, where the appealing party – often the child's parent or guardian - cannot reach agreement with the EA. SENDIST also deals with claims of disability discrimination against a responsible body - either the EA or school - in relation to the provision made for the child's educational needs at school.

3.The proceedings of SENDIST are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Education (NI) Order 1996 and applicable regulations. 

4. Each case is heard by a panel of three members including a legally qualified Chairman and two Lay Members.

5. The lay members participate in the conduct of the proceedings before SENDIST by preparing for hearings, by reading and assimilating papers issued in advance and providing input, both during the hearing and in subsequent decision making, using their knowledge of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities in an educational setting.

6. Under article 22(2)(c) of The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, lay member appointments to the tribunal are made by the Department of Justice.

7. Media enquiries for the Department of Justice email 

8. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted out of hours on 028 9037 8110.