Iris Robinson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Iris Robinson
Robinson in 2012
Member of Parliament for Strangford
In office 7 June 2001 – 13 January 2010
Preceded by	John Taylor
Succeeded by	Jim Shannon
Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Strangford
In office 25 June 1998 – 12 January 2010
Preceded by	Office Created
Succeeded by	Jonathan Bell
Democratic Unionist Party Spokesperson for Health
In office 2001 – 9 January 2010
Leader	Ian 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 by	Denny Vitty
Succeeded by	Tim Morrow
Constituency	Castlereagh East
Northern Ireland Forum Member for Strangford
In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Preceded by	Forum created
Succeeded by	Forum dissolved
Personal details
Born	Iris Collins (1949-09-06) 6 September 1949 (age 75) Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Nationality	British
Political party	Independent (2010–present) Democratic Unionist Party (until 2010)
Spouse	Peter Robinson (1970–present)
Children	3
Residences	Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma mater	Cregagh Technical College
Profession	Secretary

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. 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. 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, and has publicly stated that "the government has the responsibility to uphold God's laws". In light of this, she was criticised for her views on homosexuality in 2008.

In December 2009, Robinson announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness. On 12 January 2010 she resigned from the Northern Ireland Assembly, and on 13 January 2010, she resigned from the House of Commons and from Castlereagh Borough Council.

Personal life

The oldest of seven children, Iris Collins was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland to Mary McCarten and Joseph Collins, an English soldier. She grew up in a working-class area in the east of the city. She describes herself as a born again Christian and attends Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in Belfast. She comes from family with a mixed religious background as ten of her first cousins are Roman Catholics. She attended Cregagh Primary School, Knockbreda Intermediate School and Cregagh Technical College before becoming a secretary.

She married Peter Robinson on 26 July 1970. They were the first husband and wife ever to represent Northern Ireland constituencies in Parliament at the same time. They have three grown-up children: Jonathan, Gareth and Rebekah. Gareth Robinson is also a former Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council.

Outside politics Robinson listed her interests as charity fundraising for multiple sclerosis, interior design and horseriding.

Political career

Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh (borough) in 1989. She became the Council's first woman mayor in 1992 and served as mayor again in 1995. She was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997. She was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, representing the constituency of Strangford. She acted as the DUP health spokesperson.

Robinson was elected as the DUP Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Strangford at the 2001 general election, replacing the Ulster Unionist Party's John Taylor. She was re-elected at the 2005 general election.

Since taking up her seat in the House of Commons, Robinson has voted in 32 per cent of votes in parliament, below the average among MPs. In her maiden speech she spoke about the "betrayal" felt by the Royal Ulster Constabulary, criticising the Government's policy on policing.

Robinson's voting record shows that she voted strongly against introducing foundation hospitals, very strongly for the Iraq War, moderately for an investigation into said war, voted moderately against LGBT rights, and never voted on transparent Parliament or on replacing Trident. Robinson also voted for Labour's 42-day terror detention, part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill.

Robinson was suspended from Stormont for a day on 19 November 2007 after refusing to withdraw "unparliamentary" comments she had made about the health minister, Michael McGimpsey.

Parliamentary expenses

In April 2009, both Iris and Peter Robinson came under fire after Commons MPs' expenses accounts were leaked to the press. The couple were described as the "swish family Robinson" by the News of the World and Daily Mail after claims that they were receiving £571,939.41 a year in various salaries and expenses.

Later years

It was reported that Robinson had been receiving psychiatric treatment in a London clinic from January 2010 and returned to Northern Ireland on 19 September 2010 to continue treatment.

Robinson made her first appearance in public almost seven months after her return, at the funeral of her mother at Bethany Free Presbyterian Church in County Armagh on 14 April 2011. Among the mourners was deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness who embraced Robinson on the steps of the church.

Her husband stated his wife was too ill to attend the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011. Robinson did, however, attend the state banquet in Dublin during the Queen's visit to the Republic of Ireland 20 days later on 18 May 2011.

On 8 November 2019, an opera featuring Robinson's homophobic views was staged in Belfast. Abomination, A DUP Opera, composed by Conor Mitchell, opened the 2019 Outburst Queer Arts Festival at the Lyric Theatre. It toured Belfast and Dublin in 2022, before receiving its London premiere at the Southbank Arts Centre in May 2023.