Ian Paisley, Jr.
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| Ian Paisley, Jr, MLA | |
| MLA | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1966 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Constituency | North Antrim |
| Political party | Democratic Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Fiona Paisley |
| Website: http://www.ipjr.net/ | |
Ian Paisley, Jr, MLA (born 1966 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the party founder and leader, the Rev. Ian Paisley.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Born in Belfast in 1966, Paisley is the youngest child of Ian Paisley and his wife Eileen Paisley. He has three sisters, Sharon, Rhonda and Cherith, and a twin-brother, Kyle. After leaving primary school, he was educated at Shaftesbury House College and Methodist College Belfast, before gaining admission to the Queen's University of Belfast. At university, he read Modern History and Irish Politics, and he was awarded a B.A. (Hons.) and MSSc respectively. After finishing his post-graduate studies, he worked for his father as a political researcher and parliamentary aide. In 1990, he married his wife Fiona, and they have three children, Emily, Lucy-Jayne and Thomas. He is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster.
[edit] Political career
In 1996, Paisley was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum for North Antrim. Then, in 1998 he was again returned for the constituency to the Northern Ireland Assembly. He is one of three DUP members who have taken their seats on the Northern Ireland Policing Board, and is also the party's justice spokesman and press officer.
He is expected to contest the party leadership when his father retires, as well as his father's Westminster constituency of North Antrim.
[edit] Controversy
In 2005, Ian Paisley Jr came under criticism for his vocal objections to same-sex marriages. Upon learning that David Trimble's aide, Steven King, had married his partner in Canada, Paisley Jr was quoted as saying, "It is really astounding that David Trimble should have had a man such as this giving him advice - and must surely cast grave doubts on his own political judgment. I think these sorts of relationships are immoral, offensive and obnoxious".[1] Vagant bishop Pat Buckley described him as the "baby dinosaur of the 21st century", and the Northern Ireland-based gay men's advocacy group, The Rainbow Project, called for his removal from the Policing Board.
[edit] Books
- Reasonable Doubt: the Case for the UDR 4
- Peace Deal? A critique of the Belfast Agreement
[edit] Trivia
- He is a member of the British Motorcycle Federation
- He collects 19th century political cartoons
- He was awarded the Royal Humane Society award for bravery in 1999, after helping to rescue a drowning child
- He was mocked by Sinn Féin MLA Catriona Ruane during a Question Time-style debate at Queen's University, Belfast, where Ms Ruane referred to him as "Ian Óg", the Irish term for "young"
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Belfast Telegraph, 31st January, 2005
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Paisley, Ian |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Northern Ireland politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1966 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
