The Minister for Education, Mr Noel Dempsey, today welcomed the decision by teachers union ASTI to back the new supervision and substitution offer.
Mr Dempsey said: "All the teacher unions have now accepted the deal on supervision and substitution and I believe that the result is the foundation stone for putting relations with the unions back on an even level".
The end of the long-running ASTI dispute is in sight last night after teachers backed the new €37-an-hour supervision and substitution offer.
ASTI members also voted to lift their ban on co-operation with new syllabuses. Teachers will be free to teach new courses in home economics and biology.
ASTI members voted for the new supervision deal by 63 per cent to 37 per cent. The vote to lift the ban on new syllabuses was 58 per cent to 42 per cent. The turnout was 55 per cent.
Mr Dempsey is likely to invite the ASTI leadership for talks shortly.