Unionist in 'GAA disclosure' call

A senior Ulster Unionist has said that if police officers are forced to declare membership of the Orange Order, the same should apply to the Gaelic Athletic Association.

UUP honorary secretary Arlene Foster told BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday, that although she is opposed to the new regulation, it should apply equally to both organisations.

New measures that require officers to disclose involvement with secret or cultural organisations such as the Freemasons, Catholic Knights of Columbanus or Protestant Orange Order were announced last Tuesday.

The measures are part of changes recommended by the Police Reform Commission, headed by former Hong Kong governor Chris Patten.

Officers will have to notify Chief Constable Hugh Orde about membership of loyalist marching organisations such as the Orange Order, the Apprentice Boys of Derry, Independent Orange Order and the Royal Black Institution.

The nationalist Ancient Order of Hibernians and Catholic Knights of Columbanus are included as well as the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of Ireland.

Impartiality

However, Mrs Foster said if the legislation was necessary it should include the sporting body.

"If you are going to have a register and have to register your interest in a number of bodies, I think it should be wide-ranging and not just include the Orange Order, the Masonic Order, and the Knights of Columbanus on the other side," she said.

"Let's face it, the Orange Order on one side is akin to the GAA on the other side."

The rule will also affect police officers who are members of organisations whose "views on race, ethnicity or national identity may be perceived to be in conflict with Section 32 of the Police (NI) Act 2000 and Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998".

Officers will also have to declare if they are a member of a group which they believe could call their impartiality into question.

Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid said they had tried to make the legislation as fair as possible.

The policy was welcomed by both the SDLP and Sinn Fein however the Police Federation said it feared it could be abused.

Mr Patten made 175 recommendations in his report on police reform, including a new badge, oath of allegiance, uniform and a positive recruitment policy towards Catholics.

Publishing the report, he said that a key objective was to "depoliticise" policing.