The Teaching Council is the independent, statutory body with responsibility for setting standards for post-qualification professional practice, including probation. Decisions on the recognition and eligibility of a teaching position for the purposes of probation are the responsibility of the Teaching Council and are not a matter for my Department or the Inspectorate. The Teaching Council has informed the DES Inspectorate that the teacher referred to in the Deputy’s question was not working in an eligible position for the purposes of probation at the time of the inspection visit on 24 January and, consequently, that this visit is not recognised for the purposes of fulfilling the probationary requirements of the Council.