Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person who is four years or more in a temporary full-time position as a teacher, can be expected to be made permanent on the teaching staff; the criteria involved in relation to gaining permanence of such teaching posts within the education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2589/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The number of permanent teaching posts available in individual schools at any given time is determined in accordance with agreed criteria relating to the application of the pupil teacher ratio. It is a matter for the individual school authority, as the employer, to determine whether any particular post when vacated may be filled on a permanent basis. The terms and conditions of the employment of teachers are agreed at the Teachers' Conciliation Council on which the teacher unions, school management authorities and the Departments of Finance and Education and Science are represented. Agreements reached at the council are of general application to all teachers. Discussions are ongoing under the auspices of the council about matters arising in the context of the implementation of the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term) Work Act 2003. Agreement has been reached on the award of contracts of indefinite duration. The criteria for the award of such contracts were forwarded to post-primary schools in circular PPT 14/05 and to primary schools in primary circular 24/05. Circular letters giving additional details about this issue will be distributed to primary and post-primary schools shortly.