https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/tanaiste-micheal-martin-says-gaa-must-do-more-to-encourage-catholics-to-join-the-psni-IGHOWNYB2VD73FXGQB2V57YB2E/

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said the GAA must do more to help boost the number of Catholics joining the PSNI.

The Fianna Fáil leader told The Irish News that the sports and cultural body needed to be more vocal in encouraging Catholics into the police service’s ranks.

He was speaking after meeting the Catholic Police Guild of Northern Ireland (CPG), whose chairman said the GAA’s engagement with his organisation to date had been “measured”.

The tánaiste said the PSNI was “not getting the support in the community”.

“The GAA can do more there; the GAA should be in lockstep to support Catholics going into the PSNI, because we need to follow through on Patten and the principles of Patten,” he said.

Asked what the organisation could do specifically, Mr Martin said the GAA “could be up front”.

“They should meet with them (the CPG), engage with them, allow them to brief all the county boards about what their work is, and how that it’s okay to join the PSNI,” Mr Martin said.

The PSNI is expected to launch a fresh recruitment drive in the coming months and Guild chair, Superintendent Gerry Murray believes it offers an opportunity to increase the number of Catholics in its ranks, which currently stands at around 30%.

He said the GAA was a “remarkable organisation” and that the CPG wanted to “tap into the high regard with which it is held in the nationalist and republican community”.
He said he hoped for a “positive response” to the guild’s plan to ask Ulster’s nine county boards if it could provide presentations about its work and efforts to encourage more Catholics to join the PSNI.

“I think the GAA must do more and, hopefully, will do more to help us realise the spirit of Patten – they, like the CPG, must take brave steps,” he said.

by Ah_here_like

12 comments

  1. If Catholics don’t want to join they don’t want to join. But they can’t complain the service isn’t equal if they don’t want to participate in it.

  2. Many questions:

    1) since when is Micheál the voice of Northern nationalists when he doesn’t go near them; 2) this doesn’t help with the perception of hardcore loyalists that the GAA is only for Catholics and is political; 3) it’s not for a sporting organisation; 4) would he make the same asks of other organisations like the IFA; and 5) the PSNI has its own many problems

  3. Makes sense, there is a negative view on joining the PSNI within some parts of that community, which can put off people who would otherwise like to join. Hitting them in their sport is not the worse idea tbh.

  4. There are still elements within republicanism who oppose the PSNI. Unfortunately for many Catholics who would consider policing it’s not worth the risk to themselves or their families. It’ll be interesting to hear the GAA’s response.

  5. Is it just me or is this a bizarre statement? Like where in the GAAs remit does it include promoting the PSNI as a career choice?

    I can never make my mind up on Micheál Martin he often seems down to earth, competent and thoughtful then he pulls out absolute nonsense and acts like a spiteful child when someone disagrees with him.

  6. They are still a British police force what do you honestly expect 🙄

  7. The Tanaiste should know better. The GAA is not a political or religious body and, as such, should stay the fuck out if matter of the state.

    Dont get me wrong. I understand the cultural aspect of the GAA, particularly with the Catholic community of NI.

    There are other ways of doing this, and asking the GAA to fill the gaping voids of PSNI failures is not the way.

  8. Reasonable statement from a member of non terrorist supporting party member.

  11. Ah yes that would be great. Then we would have catholics AND protestants ignoring crime and doing sweet fuck all.

  12. If my car is robbed in the north I’ll be calling the PSNI.

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