Sir, - The problem of obtaining Catholic recruits in Northern Ireland for the changed RUC/ Northern Ireland Police Service is likely to be a difficult one because of IRA intimidation of Catholic families and because of Rule 21 of the GAA, which has been maintained by a dislike of the RUC and the intimidation of those who wanted change. One solution would be for the new Police Authority to advertise extensively in newspapers in the Republic of Ireland for Catholic recruits, men and women, from the Republic of Ireland to join the police force in the North.
Their families would not be intimidated because they would be protected by the Garda Siochana. Many young people in the South play rugby, soccer and hockey and would not be affected by Rule 21. A substantial incursion of Catholic southern recruits would make the Northern Ireland Police Service look more like the old RIC (pre-1921) which drew recruits from the 32 counties and would persuade the IRA and the GAA to stop blocking Catholic recruitment from the Six Counties.
I trust that there will be no nonsense in the Northern Civil Service about Southern Irish citizens being blocked from occupying government posts in the North. After all, Protestants from the South and indeed a small number of Catholics have always been welcome in the RUC. - Yours, etc., Rt Rev Mgr Denis Faul,
Carrickmore, Co Tyrone.