ACTING FIRST MINISTER:DUP DEPUTY leader Nigel Dodds said Arlene Foster would carry her extra responsibilities "extremely well and extremely competently".
Mr Dodds, who was not eligible to act up as First Minister as he is not an Executive Minister, said Mr Robinson “would continue to play an active role in relations addressing many of the challenging and difficult issues that remain to be addressed in the political process”.
He asked her to confirm that the work of government in Northern Ireland would not in any way be impaired as a result of this arrangement. He wished to see the First Minister “resume his responsibilities as quickly as possible”.
Ms Foster said: “I’m sure that is the hope and desire of the entire House”, adding that she believed Mr Robinson “had sent out a very important signal [about] the importance that he attaches to his role in the Executive and the Assembly”.
The Ulster Unionists, SDLP, Alliance and Progressive Unionists all wished Ms Foster well in her role as interim First Minister.
Ulster Unionist deputy leader Danny Kennedy, who chairs the Assembly committee which oversees the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister, asked when the investigation into Mr Robinson would make known its findings and inform the committee of them.
Ms Foster said two departmental opinions had been received and both indicated no breach of standards by the First Minister had been made.
“Let’s be clear,” she said. “Peter Robinson is going to clear his name and I have no doubt of that matter. There was one sole allegation and that will be dealt with. When Peter comes back he will come back with a clear record.”
SDLP leader Mark Durkan also wished Ms Foster well and extended his best wishes to Martin McGuinness in dealing with the new situation, which he said “would not be easy”. He asked her if she would be dealing with policing and justice issues.
Ms Foster replied that Mr Robinson’s decision to appoint her would permit him “to devote any time that he did have in relation to that matter”.
She said she would deal with “routine issues”, adding that issues surrounding policing and justice devolution were not officially within the remit of the Office of First Minister.
Alliance leader David Ford wished her well, but questioned her response to Mr Durkan and asked for clarification that she would be an active minister.
She insisted that devolution was “indeed in the best interests of all in Northern Ireland”. The DUP at all levels had demonstrated “very strongly” that Mr Robinson should remain and continue with his responsibilities.
“I will be involved in moving things forward. This is not Peter Robinson acting on his own – this is Peter Robinson leading from the front with all his colleagues behind him.”
For the Progressive Unionists, Dawn Purvis asked if the DUP was asking mostly to preserve its electoral prospects.
Ms Foster said she believed that “Peter Robinson has acted with complete integrity . . . He has already stated he will review his position if any inquiry finds that the allegation has some substance.”
She said she did not know how much more open Mr Robinson could be.