FIRST MINISTER Peter Robinson has spoken about his delight that his wife Iris could accompany him to the State dinner in Dublin Castle in honour of Queen Elizabeth but complained of an “appalling” lack of understanding about mental health illness.
Aside from recently attending the funeral of her mother, Mrs Robinson’s attendance at the dinner was her first public appearance since last year’s “Irisgate” revelations.
Mr Robinson, after chairing the first meeting of the new Northern Executive with Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Stormont Castle yesterday, said Mrs Robinson would continue to accompany him to events “when she feels it is right and proper and she is fit to do it – I will be delighted to have her there”.
He said she was “very warmly” received in Dublin Castle. The DUP leader also spoke of his annoyance about some reporting of his wife and referred in particular to one article which described her as being “in hiding”.
“It is appalling the lack of understanding there is about mental health issues,” he said.
“Iris has spent nine months, because of her mental health issues, in hospital. She has received months of treatment thereafter. And while she can look a million dollars when she is out, when those kind of comments are made it has an effect on her,” he added.
“I am the one who has to pick her up on those occasions. And I think it really is very poor form from reporters and journalists, who should know better about the impact of mental health issues, to make that kind of comment,” said Mr Robinson.
Meanwhile, both Mr Robinson and Mr McGuinness said that they expected that Ministers in this fourth Northern Executive since the Belfast Agreement of 1998 would observe the principle of collective Cabinet responsibility.
Mr Robinson, referring to suspected media briefings by some Ministers in the last executive, said in the current difficult times ministers should not seek to “score points” of each other. “We expect them to go out and support colleagues who have difficult decisions to take,” he said.
