Robinson cleared over 'gay comments'
IRIS Robinson has been cleared of any wrongdoing over remarks she made on homosexuality.
The DUP MP referred to homosexuality as an abomination on a Radio Ulster show last year.
In a report leaked to the News Letter, and expected to appear before the Standards and Privileges Committee on Wednesday, Assembly Ombudsman Tom Frawley said: "This case does not warrant any further action in terms of the (Assembly] code."
In a lengthy statement to the Committee, the Assembly Ombudsman also called for all MLAs to pay attention to their responsibility about speaking in public.
Mr Frawley said he started to look into Mrs Robinson's conduct after complaints were made to him about remarks she made on Radio Ulster on June 6 and June 9 last year.
No prosecution arose from a PSNI investigation into the matter.
Mr Frawley said during the course of his investigation he asked the police to share with him complete transcripts of Radio Ulster interviews.
"I have carefully considered the transcripts and it is my view that much of the language that gave rise to the complaint was introduced to the discussion by the interviewer rather than by Mrs Robinson," he said.
"Effectively she was asked if she agreed with the dictionary definition of particular words and language that is used in the Bible in relation to homosexuality.
"Mrs Robinson made it clear in her first interview of June 6 that comments she had made in a previous discussion in which it appears she described homosexuality as an 'abomination' were, 'scriptural, and what I clarified it with was very very clear that my Christian belief teaches me that you love the sinner and hate the sin and that goes right across every type of sin'."
When contacted about the report, Mrs Robinson said she was aware of the complaint coming before the Committee on Standards and Privileges, but said she chose to await the outcome before commenting.
"I trust that the Commissioner has found in favour of MLAs being able to express and hold personal religious beliefs. It would be a sad day for religious freedom, democracy, and freedom of speech when MLAs are told that they are not allowed to hold or express scriptural beliefs.
"People know and understand that I was asked to make a comment on my religious beliefs and I did so. It was never my intention to cause hurt or offence to any person. The complaints that were levelled in my direction were quite clearly politically-motivated."
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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