A newly released report by MPs warns that substantial action is required to ensure the Police Service of Northern Ireland is properly funded to handle its distinct security and policing hurdles. The cross-party Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has also called for urgent measures to boost officer numbers and improve community representation.

The inquiry was launched to assess how the security environment and policing have progressed since the PSNI was established 25 years ago under the recommendations of the Patten Commission. While the committee praised the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the UK Government for building increased community confidence and support, it concluded that critical gaps remain regarding recruitment, security, and finances.

According to the report, unique legal actions and legacy investigations continue to severely drain active policing resources. It highlights that the PSNI has suffered a real-terms budgetary reduction since 2011. In response, the Committee reiterated its previous recommendation that the UK Government establish a dedicated, ring-fenced funding pot specifically to cover these legacy costs.

Regarding workforce numbers, the MPs have called for an independent, comprehensive analysis to establish the correct volume of officers and support staff required. The report notes that while the PSNI made major strides toward becoming a representative service after its 2001 inception, this progress has now stalled. Projections suggest a future drop in the number of officers from Catholic backgrounds, while individuals from working-class and ethnic minority backgrounds remain underrepresented. To counter this, the report urges the PSNI to research existing application barriers and consider establishing a cadet-style scheme.

Additionally, with paramilitary activity and Northern Ireland-related terrorism remaining a persistent threat, the committee has pressed the UK Government to justify why Northern Ireland is excluded from the counter-terrorism funding streams made available to police forces in England and Wales.

Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, said: "Over the last 25 years the PSNI has played a pivotal role in supporting the transition from the Troubles to peace and stability in Northern Ireland, but there is still more to do to ensure the service is fit for today's challenges and representative of the people it protects and serves across all communities.

"The UK Government needs to recognise the drain on the PSNI's already stretched budget and impact on day-to-day policing of the service's involvement in legacy investigations and provide a specific pot of funding.

"There also must be much more transparency about how security funding is allocated. Whilst the security situation has improved significantly, as recent attacks show, the threat from paramilitaries and Northern Ireland-related terrorism remains.

"For the PSNI to be truly effective, it needs to be representative of the people that it serves. Progress recruiting from across communities has largely stalled and the PSNI needs to redouble its efforts to increase numbers from underrepresented groups, particularly Catholic staff and officers."

The full report can be found here.