Iris Robinson

Iris Robinson
Robinson in 2012
Member of Parliament
for Strangford
In office
7 June 2001 – 13 January 2010
Preceded byJohn Taylor
Succeeded byJim Shannon
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly
for Strangford
In office
25 June 1998 – 12 January 2010
Preceded byOffice Created
Succeeded byJonathan Bell
Democratic Unionist Party Spokesperson for Health
In office
2001 – 9 January 2010
LeaderIan Paisley
Peter Robinson
Mayor of Castlereagh
In office
1995–1996
In office
1992–1993
Member of
Castlereagh Borough Council
In office
17 May 1989 – 13 January 2010
Preceded byDenny Vitty
Succeeded byTim Morrow
ConstituencyCastlereagh East
Northern Ireland Forum Member
for Strangford
In office
30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded byForum created
Succeeded byForum dissolved
Personal details
Born
Iris Collins

(1949-09-06) 6 September 1949 (age 75)
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
NationalityBritish
Political partyIndependent
(2010–present)
Democratic Unionist Party
(until 2010)
SpousePeter Robinson (1970–present)
Children3
Residence(s)Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma materCregagh Technical College
ProfessionSecretary

Iris Robinson (née Collins; born 6 September 1949) is a former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician in Northern Ireland. She is married to Peter Robinson, who was First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2016.

Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh Borough Council in 1989, and served as Mayor in 1992 and 1995.[1] She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. In 1998 she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party as member for Strangford, acting as Deputy Whip and health spokesperson.[2] She was elected as DUP Member of Parliament for Strangford at the 2001 general election, replacing the Ulster Unionist Party's John Taylor. She was re-elected at the 2005 general election.

Robinson describes herself as a born-again Christian,[3] and has publicly stated that "the government has the responsibility to uphold God's laws".[4] In light of this, she was criticised for her views on homosexuality in 2008.[5]

In December 2009, Robinson announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness.[6] In January 2010, it emerged that Robinson had an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old in 2008,[7] and she and her husband were faced with allegations of financial impropriety related to the affair. It was announced on 9 January 2010 that her membership of the DUP had been terminated,[8] and that she would stand down from elected office.[9] On 12 January 2010 she resigned from the Northern Ireland Assembly,[10] and on 13 January 2010, she resigned from the House of Commons and from Castlereagh Borough Council.[11][12][13]

  1. ^ "Biography – Iris Robinson, Northern Ireland Assembly". Archived from the original on 10 February 2010.
  2. ^ "Who is Iris Robinson?". BBC News. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2010.
  3. ^ "Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, House of Commons". TheyWorkForYou. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  4. ^ The Stephen Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster, 17 July 2008 BBC archive
  5. ^ Grew, Tony (21 July 2008). "Iris Robinson compares homosexuality to child abuse".
  6. ^ "DUP First Minister's wife Iris Robinson quits politics". BBC News. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 28 December 2009.
  7. ^ "Iris Robinson had teenage lover". BBC News. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2010.
  8. ^ Iris Robinson ousted from DUP RTÉ, 9 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
  9. ^ "Iris Robinson 'to step down as MP and MLA next week' " BBC News, 9 January 2010
  10. ^ "Welcome to the Northern Ireland Assembly". Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2007. at footnote 5
  11. ^ "Three Hundreds of Chiltern" (Press release). HM Treasury. 13 January 2010. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Iris Robinson resigns from NI Assembly". RTÉ News. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
  13. ^ "Assembly informed of Robinson resignation". RTÉ News. 18 January 2010.