Northern Ireland Office

The Government is on course to reach its target of achieving 30% Catholic composition within the PSNI by 2010/2011, Paul Goggins told Parliament today.

In a written Ministerial statement, Paul Goggins said that since the first competition in 2001 the PSNI had received over 80,000 applications from all sections of the community to join its ranks.

He said: “Over the last few years a more representative Police Service in Northern Ireland has been emerging, with the proportion of Catholic officers in the full time PSNI increasing from 8.3% in 1998 to 23.71% in February 2008.

“In addition, over the first 13 competitions some 80,000 applications have been received from across the whole community. This figure reflects the fact that there is a new generation who are ready to commit to a career in PSNI and emphasises that confidence in our new policing structures is rising.

“The St Andrews Agreement makes it clear that the temporary 50:50 recruitment arrangements to the PSNI will lapse when the Government’s target of 30% Catholic officers has been achieved. We are on course to reach this target by 2010/2011.”

Notes to Editors

• The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 and the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 have given effect to the temporary 50:50 recruitment provisions.
• The provisions have been renewed twice, most recently in March 2007 by the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 (Renewal of Temporary Provisions) Order 2007.  
• During the Lords consideration of the Renewal Order in March 2007 Lord Rooker undertook to return to the House on an annual basis and report on the progress towards achieving the target 30% Catholic composition.
• In a post devolution scenario it is the Government’s view that responsibility for the 50:50 recruitment policy would not transfer to the NI Minister with responsibility for policing unless the Assembly’s vote requesting the devolution of policing specifically included a request for these temporary provisions.