PRESS RELEASE

11 January 2010

SP 03/09/10

ASSEMBLY INITIATES OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION INTO CONDUCT OF MRS IRIS ROBINSON MLA AND MR PETER ROBINSON MLA

The Committee on Standards and Privileges today responded to issues which have been raised in respect of the conduct of Mrs Iris Robinson MLA and Mr Peter Robinson MLA.

The Committee also received correspondence directly from Mr Robinson MLA requesting that the Committee commence an inquiry into the questions that have been raised.

The Chair of the Committee, Mr Declan O’Loan MLA said: “It is clearly in the public interest that an official investigation is carried out in order to establish the full facts in relation to the issues raised in the BBC’s recent Spotlight programme.

The Committee on Standards and Privileges has therefore today instructed the Assembly’s Commissioner for Standards to carry out a thorough independent investigation into the conduct of Mrs Iris Robinson MLA and Mr Peter Robinson MLA in order to enable the Committee on Standards and Privileges to determine whether or not any breaches of the Assembly’s Code have occurred.”

ENDS

Notes for Editor:

Enquiries about the work of the Committee should be directed to the Clerk of the Committee, Paul Gill, Room 284, Parliament Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3XX. Telephone 028 9052 0333.

For any media enquiries, please contact:

Debra Savage
Communications Officer
Northern Ireland Assembly,
Communications Office,
Telephone: 028 90521405
Mobile: 07920 864221
Email: Debra.Savage@niassembly.gov.uk