The First Minister for Northern Ireland has stepped aside for six weeks following sensational revelations about his wife’s private life in which he was accused of complicity in financial impropriety.
Peter Robinson, who has played a pivotal role in the country’s path to peace, strenuously denies the allegations and says he will use his time away from his duties to clear his name.
In a statement read out to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Peter Robinson also confirmed that his wife, also an MP, is currently receiving psychiatric treatment.
The statement came after a weekend of speculation over whether his position was tenable following allegations in a BBC documentary which claimed he knew of his wife’s failure to declare £50,000 she had procured for her teenage lover to set up a business.
Peter Robinson has been central to in the delicate process of building up a power-sharing government across sectarian lines in a country at peace after decades under the grip of sectarian violence and terrorist attacks.
Mr Robinson said he needed time away from parliament to clear his name of “mischievous allegations” and to spend time on family matters.
His own Party the DUP had rallied behind him just ahead of the announcement in which he said that minister Arlene Foster was taking over his duties with immediate effect.
Some analysts say that the resignation of Mr Robinson would have been potentially disastrous for the process of building a power-sharing government urgently facing one of its biggest hurdles, the assigning of police power.
However, Mr Robinson has said that although he is stepping aside for six weeks, he will however continue to work on the outstanding issues relating to policing and justice and some other matters in Northern Ireland.
Some fear that the scandal has already weakened Mr Robinson’s political position.
Mr Robinson at the end of last week said that he would defend his name against allegations that he failed to declare his knowledge of a financial scandal allegedly involving his wife.
In the statement in which he stepped aside he said: “I continue to contend I have acted ethically and it is particularly painful at this time of great personal trauma that I have to defend myself from an unfounded and mischievous allegation.”
Confirming that his wife is receiving psychiatric care, he said: “As a father and a husband, I need to devote time to deal with family matters.”
Peter Robinson, who has played a pivotal role in the country’s path to peace, strenuously denies the allegations and says he will use his time away from his duties to clear his name.
In a statement read out to the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday, Peter Robinson also confirmed that his wife, also an MP, is currently receiving psychiatric treatment.
The statement came after a weekend of speculation over whether his position was tenable following allegations in a BBC documentary which claimed he knew of his wife’s failure to declare £50,000 she had procured for her teenage lover to set up a business.
Peter Robinson has been central to in the delicate process of building up a power-sharing government across sectarian lines in a country at peace after decades under the grip of sectarian violence and terrorist attacks.
Mr Robinson said he needed time away from parliament to clear his name of “mischievous allegations” and to spend time on family matters.
His own Party the DUP had rallied behind him just ahead of the announcement in which he said that minister Arlene Foster was taking over his duties with immediate effect.
Some analysts say that the resignation of Mr Robinson would have been potentially disastrous for the process of building a power-sharing government urgently facing one of its biggest hurdles, the assigning of police power.
However, Mr Robinson has said that although he is stepping aside for six weeks, he will however continue to work on the outstanding issues relating to policing and justice and some other matters in Northern Ireland.
Some fear that the scandal has already weakened Mr Robinson’s political position.
Mr Robinson at the end of last week said that he would defend his name against allegations that he failed to declare his knowledge of a financial scandal allegedly involving his wife.
In the statement in which he stepped aside he said: “I continue to contend I have acted ethically and it is particularly painful at this time of great personal trauma that I have to defend myself from an unfounded and mischievous allegation.”
Confirming that his wife is receiving psychiatric care, he said: “As a father and a husband, I need to devote time to deal with family matters.”
