More than a third of the 7,700 applicants to the new Police Service of Northern Ireland are Catholic, it was disclosed today.
The figures were given by the RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan during his monthly meeting with the Police Authority.
Forty per cent of those who applied to join the new service are female, he added.
Sir Ronnie said: "Naturally we are pleased about the response to the recruitment competition from all communities but it is particularly encouraging to see such a high level of interest from Catholic and female applicants."
Commenting in Dublin after talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Brian Cowen, Northern Ireland Secretary Mr John Reid said he was "very pleased" with the response. "We are now pretty sure that we will get the 50-50 per cent," he said.
Mr Reid said he regarded RUC development as strengthening the movement forward to a new, modern Northern Ireland.
"It does look as though we have had a good response to the new policing service in Northern Ireland from the Catholic community. But what people want us to do, rather than rest on our laurels, is now to go forward and fulfil all the remaining aspects of the agreement.
"That is the way to make sure there is a secure future for Northern Ireland."
It is anticipated the process - being carried out by independent recruitment specialists Consensia - will be completed by September, with the first 260 recruits on the streets by spring 2002.
Meanwhile, the RUC is being reduced in number, with 1250 set to go before the launch of the new policing service.
Police Service chairman Mr Pat Armstrong said the numbers of Catholics signing up to join was a "real step forward" in the creation of the new service.
"The community have shown their willingness to become involved in policing through the large numbers of applications received," he said.
The figure of 35 per cent was considerably up on the last RUC recruitment campaign in 1998, in which 22 per cent of those who applied were Catholic. The present force is about 92% Protestant.
PA