New procedures giving teachers permanent employment rights after two years in the job, rather than three, have been published by the Department of Education.

Welcoming the measures, which are based on the recommendations of an expert group on part-time employment, Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan said: “I share concerns that have been expressed about the casualisation of employment in the education sector.

“In the post-primary sector more than one in three teachers are on a fixed-term or part-time contract.”

Separately, the department has confirmed that money owed under the Haddington Road agreement to about 1,500 teachers who joined the profession in 2011-2012 will be paid in the next payroll on April 9th.

Each teacher is due to receive about €900 in arrears after teacher unions renegotiated the entry grade from 2012 onwards.

The key feature of the casualisation reforms is that teachers will be entitled to a Contract of Indefinite Duration after a period of continuous employment in excess of two years.