Northern Ireland

Catholic Primate Eamon Martin calls for return of 50:50 recruitment to PSNI

Archbishop Eamon Martin called for the return of 50:50 recruitment to the PSNI. Picture by Mark Marlow
Archbishop Eamon Martin called for the return of 50:50 recruitment to the PSNI. Picture by Mark Marlow Archbishop Eamon Martin called for the return of 50:50 recruitment to the PSNI. Picture by Mark Marlow

CATHOLIC Primate Eamon Martin has called for a return to 50:50 recruitment in the PSNI.

The Archbishop of Armagh was speaking following a meeting of Church leaders with Chief Constable Simon Byrne.

A 50-50 recruitment policy ran for the first decade of the PSNI after it replaced the RUC in 2001.

It succeeded in raising Catholic numbers from less than 10 per cent to almost a third, but Dr Martin said the figure appears to have plateaued.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, he said: "It’s almost 20 per cent short of the percentage of young Catholics who are out there... I think it should be a matter of concern - not just for Catholic communities, but indeed for the whole community," he said.

"Because if we do not have a police service which is representative of the society that it polices, you immediately begin to run into accusations that the police service is not friendly to Catholic people, or you allow a vacuum to be created which allows others to exploit intimidation and fear in communities."

Mr Byrne, who wants to increase police numbers, said there are a number of under-represented groups "which we would seek to recruit from including Catholics, working class loyalists, females, ethnic minorities and members of LGBTQ communities".

"On the specific point which Archbishop Martin makes on the re-introduction of 50/50 recruitment, this is of course a decision for our politicians."

"However, we will continue to do all we can to encourage Catholic recruitment and are grateful for Archbishop Martin's encouragement to Catholics to seek a career in the police service."