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McDonnell: Push for representative PSNI must go on

SDLP South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell said the Patton reforms which gave us an accountable and more representative policing service were the greatest single achievement of the peace process and must not be endangered by the end of 50/50 recruitment.

Wed 8th September

Secretary of State Owen Paterson told the Northern Ireland Committee at Westminster that Catholic recruitment to the PSNI now stood at 29.33% and the 50/50 recruitment regulation would therefore not be renewed when it expires next year.

 

Speaking after the committee meeting Mr McDonnell said: “50/50 has been a divisive issue for unionists, but unnecessarily so in my view. The fact is that better Catholic participation in policing has utterly changed us all for the better. Our accountable, more representative policing service is the greatest single achievement of the peace process, 50/50 made it what is and we can do much more yet.

 

“The Patten Commission never said that 50/50 recruitment should end after 10 years. It said that a judgement would then have to be made on whether special measures were still needed to create a more representative policing service. Based on current application and recruitment rates, without 50/50 it could be up to 30 years before the PSNI officer establishment attains a makeup which fully reflects the balance of our community. In addition, it could take 40 years or even longer to achieve the same outcome on the civilian staff side.

 

“What concerns me is that in the current climate, we cannot exclude the possibility of slippage in the proportion of Catholic officers.  The onus must be on those who oppose 50/50 to devise alternative methods of maintaining and improving the representativeness of our policing service.”

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA, Assembly

Email mcdonnella@parliament.uk
Tel 028 9024 2474

Press Office

Tel 028 90 52 1837

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