A person who has held three consecutive fixed-term contracts would not necessarily be entitled to a permanent post in the civil or public service. However such a person would be protected by the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 which allows for the renewal of existing or granting of new contracts where there are valid reasons for doing so. Only if the Body concerned failed to comply with the terms of the Act would the question of any entitlement to a contract of indefinite duration arise.
Any person employed in the civil or public service on a fixed-term contract would be regarded as a temporary civil or public servant.