SDLP wants Irish Govt to help fund new Northern police training college

The SDLP has called on the Irish government to help fund the building of a new police training college in the North.

But the Police Federation and the Ulster Unionist Party have said it's not up to Dublin and the British government should come up with the cash.

SDLP policing spokesman, Alex Attwood, said the Department of Justice should bridge the £40m (€58m) gap to reach the £150m (€220m) required for the new college to be sited at Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.

Work had been due to start last month but the money simply isn't there although it was recommended in the Patten Report and the chief constable, Hugh Orde, says it's badly needed.

But the chairman of the North's Police Federation, Irwin Montgomery, said Dublin shouldn't have to make up the shortfall while Ulster Unionist Policing Board member Fred Cobain agreed and said he wasn't interested in money from Dublin.