In August 2002, the ASTI reiterated to its members that the directive not to co-operate with supervision arrangements would continue to operate from the new school year pending a consultation and decision-making process with its membership. In the circumstances and in order to keep schools open, my Department has agreed in discussions with the representative management groups to appropriate arrangements being made by schools that would involve non-teaching personnel carrying out supervision duties, as appropriate. My Department advised schools of amended arrangements for the employment and remuneration of these personnel in a circular letter, dated 15 August 2002. Schools were permitted to retain the arrangements that were in place for the 2001-02 school year for an interim period pending the putting in place of the new arrangements.