Concern at ‘alarming’ religious imbalance in NI prosecution service

The TUV leader was commenting after newly released figures show that only 50 of the 169 PPSNI permanent and temporary prosecutors have a Protestant background.

Mr Allister has urged the Equality Commission to investigate and to work towards ensuring a more balanced recruitment system.

“The Public Prosecution Service must command cross-community confidence,” he said.

“Such is imperative for the effective administration of justice. Thus, it is alarming that this situation of gross imbalance has been allowed to develop. I fear if Agency prosecuting personnel were included, the situation would be even more dire.

“I have written to the Equally Commission inviting it to investigate further and bring forward proposals to ensure balanced recruitment. I have no doubt if the figures were in reverse with under-representation of Catholics, we would have heard many public pronouncements by the Equality Commission. But, to date, nothing about Protestant disadvantage in the PPS! Why?”

The figures show that based on community background, 50 staff members are Protestant, 110 Catholic and nine recorded as ‘not determined’.

Mr Allister added: “The Director of Public Prosecutions must urgently address the issue of why the PPS is a cold house for Protestants. When he looks at some individual sections and regions in the PPS he will, I believe, find an even more alarming picture.”

In response, DPP Stephen Herron said that all PPS recruitment competitions are managed by Northern Ireland Civil Service HR, with appointments made “on the basis of merit through fair and open competition”.

He said: “We take our responsibilities in providing a wholly impartial and high quality prosecution service to the people of Northern Ireland very seriously. Every prosecution decision is taken objectively by carefully analysing the available evidence and applying the Test for Prosecution as set out in the Code for Prosecutors.

“We understand that cross community confidence is essential to the administration of justice and we work hard to ensure this public confidence is maintained by being as open and transparent as possible in our decision making.”

Mr Herron added: “I am therefore encouraged that the latest independent Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey showed that public confidence in us has risen in the past year, with more than three quarters of respondents (76.6%) having confidence that we provide a fair and impartial prosecution service to the people of Northern Ireland.

“It is also reassuring that this broad public support is reflected when the survey looked at the religious background breakdown of those questioned.”

An Equality Commission (ECNI) spokesperson confirmed that recruitment to the PPS is managed by the NI Civil Service HR Connect, and added: “The Northern Ireland Civil Service like all registered employers in Northern Ireland must review its employment practices, workforce composition and flows every three years to determine any appropriate affirmative action measures.

“As part of this process, the Commission will be engaging with the NI Civil Service on their Article 55 Review and we will discuss this information with them.”