| Hain gives go-ahead to PSNI training
college  After
months of doubt about whether the project would go ahead Northern Ireland
Secretary Peter Hain has confirmed the proposed £130million PSNI
training college is to be built on the Desertcreat site just outside Cookstown
in Co. Tyrone.
Mr Hain made the announcement at an international policing conference
at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast last week.
At the same conference the chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Sir Desmond Rea urged the creation of a truth commission in the North
of Ireland.
The college will be integrated with the prison, fire and rescue services
at a cost of £130million which will be fully provided by the British
Government notwithstanding some previous speculation that the Irish Government
might provide some of the funding.
Mr Hain said: “The new facility will provide excellent training
facilities to meet the needs of each of the organisations.
“Of paramount importance will be the ability of the new college
to deliver quality training and I believe that this integrated approach
is the best way to achieve this.”
Responding to the news Alex Attwood, SDLP policing spokesman and Assembly
candidate for West Belfast, said: “The British Government should
have made this commitment a long time ago.
“It is disappointing that it took them so long to recognise the
benefits of a moderate capital contribution to the new policing college.”
Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley jnr, standing in North Antrim, welcomed
the move.
He said: “The decision to join the colleges will deepen their appeal
and will ensure it is able to offer training on a world-class scale.”
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