PSNI job almost impossible on shoestring budget, says Paisley

Policing in Northern Ireland is being asked to be done "on the cheap", a DUP MP has claimed during a debate at Westminster.

Ian Paisley raised the issue of the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI) budget, which is facing a £226m shortfall between this year and 2025.

Last month, the PSNI announced it is reducing the number of officers by 300.

It will leave the service with 6,700 officers - the lowest number in its 21-year history.

Mr Paisley said: "The issues our officers have to tackle are completely unique … with a hangover of policing the past as well as trying to cope with the present.

"It is almost impossible for them to do it on a shoestring budget."

The North Antrim MP also highlighted the issue of low pay among new recruits, with a growing number of officers taking on second jobs.

"This is a matter of how we manage policing resources whether we have devolution or not.

"We have got to make sure it is addressed with a much sharper answer than 'well, if you had an executive back to handle these things it could be sorted out.'

"I wish the answer to the problem was as easy as that."

Responding, Home Office minister Chris Philp said officer salaries in Northern Ireland are similar to those in England and Wales.

He pointed out policing is a devolved matter.

"I think with a functioning executive it does give more flexibility and freedom to Northern Ireland to determine how it chooses to allocate money," the minister continued.

Mr Philp also said that on top of the PSNI budget allocated by the Department of Justice, the Northern Ireland Office provided it with around £40m a year to tackle terrorism and paramilitarism.