The funding arrangements for the recruitment and payment of supervisors were part of the interim arrangements that were prepared and agreed between my Department and the managerial authorities for second level schools to ensure that schools would remain open when the ASTI directive to its members to withdraw from voluntary supervision and substitution duties took effect on 4 March 2002.
The interim arrangements by their nature were flexible and did not specify a pupil-supervisor ratio. It was recognised that the number of supervisors required would vary from school to school depending on local circumstances, including layout, both internal and external. In the circumstances, it was agreed with the managerial authorities that individual school management authorities were best placed to assess the level of cover and the number of persons required on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, responsibility for the making of appointments was a matter for school authorities. As the extent to which supervisors were employed by schools was a matter to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities, schools were not required to return such information to my Department.
For purposes of the interim arrangements, payments have been made to schools by my Department, calculated on the basis of €1,369 per whole time equivalent teacher post per annum. In addition, funding has also been provided to cover employers' PRSI and holiday pay. Under the contingency arrangements a payment amounting to 5% of supervision costs are being provided to schools to pay for additional support, including secretarial assistance. In aggregate, the sum disbursed to schools to date amounts to some €39 million.