Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for clarifying the matter.

The reality is that teachers who have been teaching for a number of years in particular environments are not guaranteed to be successful in the open recruitment process. I acknowledge that a time period is not put on teachers fulfilling the probation period, but fairness must apply and after a certain period has elapsed it is important for a person's confidence and self-esteem that the probationary period should come to an end. It would be the same as employing somebody as an apprentice whose apprenticeship continued to be renewed and they never progressed beyond it.