Newly qualified teachers may become eligible for a permanent contract after just one year in a post, in a new measure announced by the Minister for Education.

The change is designed to reduce precarity and casualisation in the profession and to boost teacher supply by encouraging more qualified teachers to stay and work in Ireland.

Many newly qualified teachers have sought opportunities abroad with higher salaries and job security in areas such as the United Arab Emirates or Australia.

Leitrim Councillor and secondary school teacher, James Gilmartin says ultimately, it's about providing appropriate conditions for those searching for jobs: