The absolutely ludicrous sectarian ratio requirement for
recruitment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland has
been underlined by the revelations of the Census figures.
These figures show that 43 per cent of the population of
Northern Ireland is Roman Catholic. Yet, as a result of the
implementation of Patten, 50 per cent of new recruits to the
PSNI must be Roman Catholic and the other 50 per cent of places
go to Non-Catholics a highly offensive
term for Protestants.
In spite of the fact that Protestants make up 53 per cent
of Northern Irelands population, they have to take their
chance alongside Muslims, agnostics, atheists, and people
of other faiths surely a case of religious discrimination
if ever there was one?
All this just goes to show how unfair and how wrong the sectarian
head count is regarding recruitment to the badly under-strength
PSNI. Excellent recruits eager to join the police service
are being denied the opportunity for no other reason than
they are Protestant, and there are not enough Roman Catholic
recruits to achieve the 50-50 ratio of Roman Catholics and
Non-Catholics.
Northern Ireland has lost the finest police force in Western
Europe, by the abolition of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
It has also lost thousands of experienced and highly talented
police officers due to the retirement packages offered to
them in order to remove Protestants and make way for the expected
influx of Roman Catholics.
The harsh reality is that the streets of Northern Ireland
are more dangerous than ever before due to the absence of
police officers resulting from the downsizing of the police
force and failure to recruit sufficient recruits to fill the
gaps and enable proper policing to take place.
It appears that religious ratios are of prime importance
in deciding how many officers can join the PSNI. Its
a criteria which no Protestants, and one suspects many decent
law-abiding Roman Catholics are not entirely happy with.
But if that is to be the criteria, why are the ratios not
in keeping with the religious composition of Northern Ireland
53 per cent Protestant, 43 per cent Roman Catholic?
Why are Protestants not entitled to at least 50 per cent of
places, not having to take their chance along with people
of other faiths and none at all?
It certainly deserves an answer from the authorities, especially
those responsible for the recruitment and running of the Police
Service of Northern Ireland.
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