Councillor Alex Easton - Nifty Fifty

North Down MLA Alex Easton has said that the end of 50:50 recruitment for the PSNI in Northern Ireland is most welcome and represents the end of a policy of discrimination.
 
Speaking today North Down DUP MLA Alex Easton said:
 
 “Many Protestant applicants since the policy of 50-50 recruitment, being 50% Catholic, 50% other, was introduced have been discriminated against. I welcome the end of this appalling policy that flies in the face of all equality and anti-discriminatory legislation.
 
Many applicants to the PSNI were disappointed to be turned down on the basis of their religion, despite passing all other tests. In fact more Protestants’ reached the merit pool before many Catholic applicants yet were turned down because of their religion.
 
My party has been lobbying the Government for many years to see that this discriminatory policy is brought to an end. We opposed the Patton Reforms to the RUC back in 1999 that recommended the recruitment of new Police officers on the basis of 50-50. This recommendation was brought about by the Belfast Agreement negotiated by the Ulster Unionist Party.
 
I therefore welcome that the Government has announced that this will be the last year of the policy and look forward to Police officers being recruited on the basis of merit, not religion in 2011.
 
Those who argue that the policy should be extended, particularly the SDLP, are supposed to stand for the principles of equality, justice and human rights. They are wrong and demonstrate their own intolerance and sectarian attitudes.
 
Those non-Catholic applicants are being discriminated against in favour of Catholics. This is not the basis upon which to recruit Police officers especially as we try to move into a new era for Northern Ireland.” the North Down MLA said.