1. Iris Robinson is a former Democratic Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland.
33 Facts About Iris Robinson
1. 2.
Iris Robinson is married to Peter Robinson, who was First Minister of Northern Ireland from 2008 to 2016.
3.
Iris Robinson was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997.
4.
Iris Robinson was elected as DUP Member of Parliament for Strangford at the 2001 general election, replacing the Ulster Unionist Party's John Taylor.
5.
Iris Robinson describes herself as a born-again Christian, and has publicly stated that "the government has the responsibility to uphold God's laws".
6.
In December 2009, Iris Robinson announced that she would leave politics and withdraw from public life following prolonged periods of mental illness.
7.
In January 2010, it emerged that Iris Robinson had an extramarital affair with a 19-year-old in 2008, and she and her husband were faced with allegations of financial impropriety related to the affair.
8.
The oldest of seven children, Iris Robinson Collins was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland to Mary McCarten and Joseph Collins, an English soldier.
9.
Iris Robinson grew up in a working-class area in the east of the city.
10.
Iris Robinson describes herself as a born again Christian and attends Metropolitan Tabernacle Church in Belfast.
11.
Iris Robinson comes from a family with a mixed religious background as ten of her first cousins are Roman Catholics.
12.
Iris Robinson attended Cregagh Primary School, Knockbreda Intermediate School and Cregagh Technical College before becoming a secretary.
13.
Gareth Iris Robinson is a former Councillor on Castlereagh Borough Council.
14.
Outside politics Iris Robinson listed her interests as charity fundraising for multiple sclerosis, interior design and horseriding.
15.
Iris Robinson was first elected councillor for Castlereagh in 1989.
16.
Iris Robinson became the Council's first woman mayor in 1992 and served as mayor again in 1995.
17.
Iris Robinson was a member of the Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue from 1995 to 1997.
18.
Iris Robinson was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 1998, representing the constituency of Strangford.
19.
Iris 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.
20.
Since taking up her seat in the House of Commons, Iris Robinson has voted in 32 per cent of votes in parliament, below the average among MPs.
21.
Iris Robinson voted for Labour's 42-day terror detention, part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill.
22.
Iris 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.
23.
Iris Robinson was thinking only of her future political career.
24.
Iris Robinson's comments were rebuffed by representatives of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Rainbow Project, the Alliance Party, Sinn Fein, and the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
25.
Iris Robinson is no longer a consultant psychiatrist within the NHS and has been reported to the General Medical Council.
26.
On 28 December 2009, and immediately prior to the airing of an investigative BBC programme looking at her personal life and financial dealings, Iris Robinson announced her decision to retire from politics after claiming that she had been suffering serious bouts of stress and depression.
27.
On 6 January 2010, Iris Robinson issued a statement in which she said that she had attempted suicide on 1 March 2009.
28.
BBC's Spotlight programme revealed on 7 January 2010 that Iris Robinson had had an affair with Kirk McCambley, who was 19 years old at the time.
29.
On 25 June 2010, it became public that Iris Robinson had been interviewed as part of a police investigation over money she obtained from two developers.
30.
Iris Robinson reportedly received "acute psychiatric treatment" and was under 24-hour suicide watch following the BBC Spotlight documentary.
31.
Iris 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.
32.
Iris Robinson's husband stated his wife was too ill to attend the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton on 29 April 2011.
33.
Iris Robinson did attend the state banquet in Dublin during the Queen's visit to the Republic of Ireland 20 days later on 18 May 2011.