New rules coming into force from today will mean any person - including a member of the public, an employer or another teacher - will be able to make a complaint to the Teaching Council about a registered teacher.

Complaints will be possible under a number of headings - including professional misconduct or poor professional performance.

This is the first time such a mechanism will be available.

The Education Minister Richard Bruton will commence the Fitness to Teach provisions, and says the process will provide assurance to the public, including parents - and affirm confidence in the teaching profession in the long-run.

However, the fitness to teach processes are not intended to replace procedures that are already in place in schools to deal with issues of professional conduct and competence.

Under-performance or misconduct will continue to be dealt with first at school level, the Department of Education says.

Mr Bruton also told Newstalk Breakfast children could be brought in to give evidence.

"Teachers will also be protected"

Today's move follows the minister's announcement last Thursday that the Government was supporting a Bill proposed by TD Jim Daly to improve information and complaint procedures for parents relating to schools and board of management.

Speaking ahead of the announcement, Minister Bruton said: "Today is a very important milestone. Fitness to Teach will allow parents and others who have a concern about a registered teacher to bring that concern to the Teaching Council for adjudication for the first time.

"This will give parents confidence that the high quality and standards of the teaching profession will be maintained. Each inquiry which is convened by the Teaching Council must be fair, transparent and effective.

"The introduction of Fitness to Teach will not interfere in any way with the right of school leadership to take action to deal with particular situations that arise at school level.

"Teachers will also be protected too under the new arrangements and with the exception of the less serious cases, sanctions can be appealed to the High Court."

Complaints under Fitness to Teach may ultimately proceed to an inquiry to be held by the Teaching Council.

However, in order to reach this stage there will be several steps designed to exclude less serious complaints from a full inquiry - including initial screening and consideration of the case by the council's investigating Committee.

Inquiries will be held in public, unless the council is satisfied it is appropriate to hold a hearing, or part of a hearing, in private.