Iris Robinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Iris Robinson
|
|
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg)
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
6 September 1949 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 (born Iris Collins on September 6, 1949) is a former politician from Northern Ireland. She was a member of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
She is married to Peter Robinson. He was the First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2016.
Robinson began her political career in 1989. She was elected to the Castlereagh Borough Council. She later became a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the UK Parliament.
In December 2009, Robinson announced she was leaving politics. This was due to long periods of mental illness. In January 2010, she faced a difficult personal and financial situation. She resigned from all her political positions that month.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Iris Collins was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was the oldest of seven children. She grew up in a working-class area in the east of the city. She attended Cregagh Primary School, Knockbreda Intermediate School, and Cregagh Technical College. After her education, she worked as a secretary.
She married Peter Robinson on July 26, 1970. They were the first husband and wife to represent Northern Ireland constituencies in the UK Parliament at the same time. They have three children: Jonathan, Gareth, and Rebekah.
Outside of politics, Robinson enjoyed raising money for charities, interior design, and horse riding.
Political Career
Local and Assembly Roles
Robinson's political career started in 1989 when she was elected as a councillor for Castlereagh. She served as the mayor of the council twice, in 1992 and 1995.
In 1998, she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Strangford area. In the Assembly, she was the DUP's spokesperson for health.
Member of Parliament
In the 2001 general election, Robinson was elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. She became the Member of Parliament (MP) for Strangford. She was re-elected in the 2005 general election.
As an MP, Robinson was known for her strong views. In her first speech in Parliament, she spoke about her support for the Royal Ulster Constabulary, which was the police force in Northern Ireland at the time.
In 2007, she was suspended from the Northern Ireland Assembly for one day. This happened after she refused to take back critical comments she made about the health minister.
Controversial Comments
Robinson is a born-again Christian. She has said that she believes the government should follow God's laws. In 2008, she made public comments about homosexuality based on her religious beliefs. She stated that she believed it was sinful.
Her comments caused a lot of controversy. Many people and political parties, including the Alliance Party and Sinn Féin, criticized her. A police investigation began after more than 100 complaints were made.
Because of her statements, the charity Stonewall named her "Bigot of the Year" in 2008.
Parliamentary Expenses
In April 2009, Iris and Peter Robinson's spending as MPs was looked at closely. Newspapers reported on the amount of money they claimed for salaries and expenses. This was part of a larger story about the expenses of many MPs in the UK.
Later Life
After leaving politics in 2010, Robinson received psychiatric treatment for her health. She returned to Northern Ireland later that year to continue her recovery.
She made her first public appearance in April 2011 at her mother's funeral. She has since attended other important events, such as a state banquet in Dublin during a visit by Queen Elizabeth II in May 2011.
In 2019, an opera called Abomination, A DUP Opera was created by composer Conor Mitchell. The opera was based on Robinson's controversial public statements. It was performed in Belfast, Dublin, and London.
