There has been a mixed reaction by the North's political parties to the Patten Report on the future of policing in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member, Reg Empey has said that his party will be oppose the Report's recommendation to establish Policing Boards. He said that this was a way of getting paramilitaries into the police force through the back door. The party leader, David Trimble, described the report as "gratuitously insulting to the people of Northern Ireland". He said that the only change really needed to the RUC was to have many more Catholics serving in the RUC.
The Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said that he believes Catholics will need further reassurances before they join the new police service. He said he believed Nationalists would not join the force until they were convinced they would be participating in a democratically accountable policing service. This was echoed by the Deputy Leader of the SDLP, Seamus Mallon, who said that they wanted to see the Report's recommendations implemented swiftly and following that, would urge Nationalists to join the remodelled police service.
The Government warmly welcomed the Report, describing it as thorough and comprehensive. In a statement, the Government said that the creation of a police service, fully representative in ethos and composition of the community it serves, would make a vital contribution to the Good Friday Agreement's overall objectives of peace, stability and reconciliation. Speaking in Clonmel this afternoon, the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said that the Government would examine Chris Patten's assessment in detail. The Taoiseach said that there is no doubt that it is a reforming report and the Government is looking forward to see its implementation. He added that he hopes the report will be positively received while recognising that it's difficult for some people. Mr. Ahern said that it is a major part of the Good Friday Agreement and that it is essential to move and reform the RUC.
The Northern Secretary Dr Mo Mowlam said that elements of the report will come into effect within months. She said that she hoped to complete discussions on the report by the end of November and then publish a full implementation plan in December. RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, said that many of the proposals would improve policing, but he acknowledged the hurt some measures like the name change would cause to officers and their families. Last night, he said that the report clearly marked a milestone for his force and perhaps society as a whole. However, he said that the findings deserve to be considered coolly, rationally and professionally.
The Sinn Féin Chairman, Mitchel McLaughlin, said they would scrutinise the report to see if it met its requirements under the Good Friday Agreement. The GAA has issued a statement saying that it did not wish to comment on a report with which it had not yet been issued and which was, at this stage, still a political issue and subject to political considerations and decisions in its implementation.
However, in relation to Rule 21, the statement pointed out that in May of last year, the GAA took a unanimous decision reflecting the views of its membership. The Association had pledged its intent to delete Rule 21 from its official guide when effective steps are taken to implement the amended structures and policing arrangements envisaged in the Good Friday Agreement. The statement said that the GAA is committed to honouring this pledge.
